


Golden Chains & Crown of Sand: Encounter (Trap)

by LadyDimness



Series: Golden Chains & Crown of Sand: [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga), Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 15:52:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18803467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDimness/pseuds/LadyDimness
Summary: Opposite who had attracted similar ones. Two distinct but identical persons, who look like each other but are different, understanding one another without understanding themselves.Two beings with the same fate. Two lives that share the same pain. And this fear of being alone again, which drives them undeniably towards each other.It's a new Shadow Game that's starting, and the future remains more uncertain than ever...





	1. Soul in Pain & Iron Chains

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Golden Chains](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/480742) by degreeincuriosity. 



> Hi everybody!
> 
> Note: I'm back for the next release of a new fanfiction related to YûGiOh's fandom!
> 
> This is what happens when you re-watch the whole series in its original version at once. This story was also inspired by a fanfiction by degreeincuriosity, The Golden Chains, so thanks to this person, and by several fanarts (published as cover on FF.net), which unfortunately I don't know the authors. (If you recognize yourself, please let me know so I can tag you).
> 
> This fanfiction will take place in Three Big Parts. The first (already written in full by your humble servant) is called "Encounter (Trap)", it will be followed by "War (Monsters)", and finally by "Resolution (Magic)".
> 
> It's a half AU, since it takes place in Ancient Egypt, at the time of Pharaoh Atem, and uses the Egyptian versions of the characters of the anime (in reference to the RPG Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories).
> 
> I think you'll recognize them easily but just in case...
> 
> Heba - Yûgi
> 
> Jouno - Jounouchi/Joey
> 
> Teana - Téa/Anzu
> 
> One last thing:
> 
> -Khemet is the ancient Egyptian name for the city where to find the current power.
> 
> -In Ancient Egypt, nomarchs are the administrators/officials of the kingdom and the viziers the ministers. The Grand Vizier was, therefore, a kind of Prime Minister/Advisor of the Pharaoh.
> 
> -A Shendyt is a kind of Egyptian kilt worn by the noble of the court. It is the little blue cloth that Atem wears over his white tunic. :)
> 
> -And a little reminder, Khepri/Amon-Ra/Atum is the sun god, Thot, the lunar god, Horus the god of the Pharaohs and Osiris the god of the Afterlife, father of Horus.
> 
> Here I wish you a very good reading! As usual, if you have any questions, leave me a review!
> 
> Disclaimers: YuGiOh! is the property of Kazuki Takahashi and Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories of Konami. The rest of the characters introduced into this fanfic come straight out of my imagination, thanks to asking me before reintroducing them.
> 
> Legend: Italics - Thoughts
> 
> Text in the Middle - Dreams
> 
> "Italics" - Flashbacks/Flashforward

A starry night where time seemed to have stopped, shortening his suffering, but prolonging his distress. Brillant silver moonlight shining in the bluish sky of the infinite desert, a cool breeze gently caressing his blonde locks, like a soothing balm after the sultry day he had spent under the gruelling sun of Egypt.

His head was resting against the wooden bars, his gaze obstinately turned towards the nocturnal star. Feeling tears in the corners of his eyes, he raised a tired, dirty hand and wiped them with an angry gesture. Stretching his legs in hope of seeing the numbness that was beginning to hurt him disappear, he stumbled against a hard surface, and trying his amethyst pupils to discern the object despite the darkness of the night, he quickly folded them back in realizing that it was the head of one of his sleeping travelling companions.

Heaped together in a wooden cage barely larger than a dry oasis in the midst of a sea of sand, a dozen men and women of all ages were facing each other. Leaning dangerously from right to left at each sand dune crossed, each rock not avoided, the cariole continued inexorably to roll without ever stopping.

Iron bracelets on their feet and a simple linen suit to protect them from the fiery rays of Ra, they advanced without any real choice towards an unknown destination, the fear twisting their stomachs already starved by the forced fast that was imposed on them.

A bitter smile contorted his dry lips of a thirst he could not satisfy. Their journey would end in a place they knew nothing about, but their fate was well and truly known. It had been a long time since he had said goodbye to innocence, to keep in mind only what really mattered: to survive whatever the means.

"Heba. "

He turned his head, forcing a smile as he laid a comforting hand in the amaranth hair of the girl lying against her shoulder, her breath jerky.

"Teana? "

"Heba, aren't you sleeping already? "

"I can't, not with all these jolts... "

The sweat that oozed profusely from her forehead made him frown, and he risked again a hand on it, worry now marking the features of his childish face.

She was burning with fever. Sighing again, he looked towards the front of the wagon, peering with interest at the two men standing on the cornice of the cariole, directing the horses each in their turn. Then he turned to his right, half-raising his elbow to push it between the ribs of his comrade who awoke in a cry of pain quickly stifled when he covered his mouth with assertiveness, mentally thanking the Gods of not have been spotted.

"Hey, have ya lost your mind? What did ya do that?! "

"It's Teana. She's not feeling better. It's even worse than before! " he whispered in his friend's ear, not wanting the young woman to hear him.

"Her fever gets worse? "

"Jouno, if we don't stop to eat something, I'm afraid she... " he did not finish his sentence, words fading into his throat, barely holding a sob.

"Eat? I don't think it will happen anytime soon... "

Closing his eyelids, half tiredness and half in spite, Heba let himself fall back against the bars of his mobile prison. Perhaps it was better that way... To pass away in illness, surrounded by her two childhood friends, was a better end than the one that would be hers upon their arrival. Because if ever their torturers learn about her condition, it was a much more terrible death that would await her. And even if she were to recover, her future would be no more than an intense wave of suffering, where hope no longer has its place, intertwined by the shadows of the chained life of a slave...

**_##########_ **

A fiery sun hovering over a deep blue sky, under the ever-high temperatures of this season, the palace stood proudly at the other end of the city. Royal residence with golden curves, harmonizing in an almost perfect way with the landscape of the endless yellow Sahara as if it had simply emerged from the underground.

Various noises echoed through the walls of the estate, from the servants bustling about here and there to the scribes who went back and forth between the royal library and the council chamber, the viziers overseeing the nomarchs and the priests attending their usual business. whatever they might be.

Atem let a groan of pleasure escape from his lips as he plunged into the clear liquid that filled the basin. Extending his arms along the edge, he closed his eyes, letting his head lean backwards.

Off-white, the donkey milk that wrapped his body with tanned skin was scented with a smell of wildflower, certainly lavender, and essential oils. Breathing deeply, he absently swept a hand in the air, relaxing even more when a damp cotton cloth began to rub gently but vigorously his neck.

"Hmmm... "

"Can I take that as a compliment, my Pharaoh? "

"You can, Nailah. "

Chuckling with rapture, the maid slid the cloth from his shoulders to his arms, passing between his fingers, lingering on his knuckles and nails before going back to his back, forcing the young king to straighten up in a grunt while the servant entered in her turn in the basin to rub his shoulder blades.

Soon, the ephemeral pleasure of this bath would end and he would inevitably have to return the state affairs. All would be nothing more than a continuous succession of listening, writing, and reading of papyrus longer than the Nile itself.

Khemet's sales-talks were reaching to him from the terraces and looking up at the open ceiling supported by four marble columns, he suddenly asked:

"Is it nice? "

"What so, your Majesty? "

"To wander in the city aimlessly? " replied Atem, resuming his place against the edge, the young servant now sliding the cotton cloth against his chest.

"Well... " Nailah hesitated, worried.

"Answer without fear... I'm just a little curious. "

"I'm not used to going to town unless it's for the needs of the palace. But it's really nice to visit the market and listen to the lively conversations of the villagers. "

"I see... "

"If I may... Why this question, O son of Horus? "

Narrowing his eyes, the Pharaoh freed himself from the grip of his maid, moving forward in the centre of the basin, clasping himself as the lukewarm liquid began to cool.

"For nothing. Nothing at all... "

Nodding and pulling the cloth against her, Nailah emerged from the bath, circling it to join the young king, a silk clothing in her hands.

Atem went out in his turn, wrapping himself in the garment before heading to his apartments, not forgetting to thank the young woman for his duties.

A cobalt blue Shendyt put on top of a vanilla-coloured tunic later, all draped in an indigo cape, and he was walking towards the throne room, looking confident. There was now nothing left inside his pupils of the doubt that had temporarily darkened his mind.

Untiringly, time continued to flow, leaving him no respite. If only he could... not escape to his duties, he sincerely loved being the king. But to be able at least one day, to have the chance to discover what was the normal life. To learn how his people lived on a daily basis... So maybe... maybe he would feel less alone...

Sighing, he shook his head energetically to chase away these disordered thoughts and proudly stepped into the room, sitting down without further delay on his throne while the various priests went by with the order of the day.

**_##########_ **

This trip didn't want to end. Ra replacing Thoth in the far forbidden domain of the Gods. How many days did had he spent in this tiny habitat?

Skinning himself each time his limbs crawled miserably against the barks of wood that tore his flesh, his caramel skin taking a much darker shade under the dirt and dust, and his body gradually losing its vitality under the hunger and thirst.

His amethyst eyes were no longer radiant under the deathly silence that reigned around him, Teana suddenly becoming mute and Jouno no longer even trying to comfort anyone as nothing seemed to give him any hope of getting out of this cage.

He closed his eyes, trying to find some rest when various sounds reached his ears. Getting up as best he could, he wriggled his neck, watching with an almost relief the features of the city moving under the heat of the sun a few meters in front of them.

Thus ended their lives as free humans. The market stalls of Khemet would soon be covered with new merchandises as they would be displayed to the audience like common fruits, nothing less than their lives being offered for a simple trifle.

Heba narrowed his eyes as they approached the large alabaster gates of the town. The cariole slowly crossed them, like a soon announced sentence, stopping abruptly at the edge of the shopping alley.

The two torturers descended from the wagon, circling it to sneak open with anger the door closed with a metal padlock. Pulling on the iron chain connecting them all to another, one of the two men screamed to hurry up while everyone was doing their best to get out, their amorphous limbs making them inevitably fall to the ground as they set foot in the sand.

"C'mon! C'mon! What a bunch of incompetents! "

Heba struggled not to cry when he collapsed on the soil, moaning like a wounded animal. Standing up in staggering, he let himself be directed to a rostrum serving as a sales booth, aligning nicely with his peers.

Daring to lean his head forward in hope of seeing his childhood friends, he sighed mentally in relief as Teana stood more or less up at the other end of the line, her gaze completely empty as she did not even seem to realize what was going on around her.

As for Jouno, he seemed to have found his motivation again, struggling hard against his enemies, trying in vain to escape to their clutches.

 _By Osiris, how can he still move like that?_  the boy thought, feeling himself on the verge of fainting, his vision blurred.

A woman suddenly collapsed to his left, taking a part of the flock with her and forcing him to step back a little. One of the guards cried out at this vision, releasing the arm of the blond-haired troublemaker to hit the woman's stomach as if to know if she was still breathing.

Heba turned away his sight, unable to bear any more, hiding himself behind his blond locks with black and fuchsia highlights. He raised his head, however, when a shouting resonated, the second guard clumsily holding his hand, his eyes darkening under pure hate, the mark of Jouno's teeth forever etched in the flesh of his palm.

"You! Damn leech, I swear to give you the first comer without negotiation! "

"So much the better! I wouldn't have to bear ya face very long! "

The slap flies through the air with disconcerting rapidity, the hazel-eyed young man falling to the ground in a cloud of grains of sand.

"Jouno! "

Seeking to join his friend, Heba saw his route blocked by the most massive torturers. Trying to force through despite his small stature, he could only bend his knees in pain as the guard gripped him by the hair, pushing him back while tumbling him against the platform.

"Don't move Heba! Above all, don't do anythin they could make ya regret! " yelled Jouno, seeing the scene and wanting to protect his long-time friend.

"Well, are you going to keep quiet now? Where I swear by Isis that it's the kid who will receive instead of you! " barked the less burly of the two men, noticing brilliantly the weak point of both boys: each other.

"Okay... okay... "

Joining also the ranks, the tall blonde sighed with a bored pout, his pupils drifting, without being able to stop, at the royal palace standing in the distance. Following his gaze, the boy with amethyst pearls also inspected the building, a wave of injustice running through his body with spasms.

"There really are people who don't have to worry about anythin. " his friend snorted out disdainfully.

_Yes... some are luckier than others..._


	2. Secret Flight & Noticed Escape

The cool breeze blowing outside made him smile and he closed his eyes, enjoying its touch against his burning hot face. Leaning against the stone ledge of the balcony, he gazed down at the royal gardens just below him. Several hundreds of fig trees, date palms, and pomegranates being wisely lined up all over the field, encircled by vines and melons with tempting colours.

The hustle and bustle of the city caught his attention again and he narrowed his eyes as he tried to see something from where he was. The market seemed to be in full swing, filling up in a flash, a dense crowd being created at its centre.

A voice he knew well sounded from the gate of the gardens leading to the city, and he smiled again, listening carefully.

"But why?! "

"Because Mana! I don't want you to accompany me during my inspection, but on the contrary, that you take advantage of my absence to work on your spells book. "

"But I spent the morning studying! Mahad... please... "

"I already told you no, Mana. "

His pupils became suddenly animated at this conversion, and returning to his apartments, he quickly descended the stairs, taking the direct path that would allow him to join the young girl.

The magician and his student exchanged a last argument before the latter took off, leaving Mana on the spot, sulking childishly. Once certain that no one would surprise him, Atem ventured out of his hiding place, heading for the little priestess in the making.

"Mana? "

"Pharaoh! "

Straightening up suddenly, the coffee-haired girl with cinnamon-coloured eyes smiled at the young man, throwing herself close to his chest, letting out a few false tears as she complained without embarrassment.

"I'm sure you heard everything! Besides, the whole palace must have heard him scold me this way! "

"You're the one who made the most noise, Mana... "

"That's not very nice! "

Hitting the young king's shoulder in a friendly tone and bursting into laughter, Mana shared a knowing smile with him before they decided to settle against the surrounding wall, directly on the floor. Surrounding her raised knees from her arms, the apprentice magician rested her head against the boy's arm, and asked, still with a bit of mischief in her voice:

"Haven't you, I don't know, some royal obligations? "

"No... for the moment I'm free to listen to your complaints... " Atem responded in the same way, avoiding just in time another blow of his childhood friend.

"Hey! How does he want me to replace him one day if he shows me only half of what he does! "

"If you started off being an as good magician as him, I'm sure he'd be more inclined to let you go with him. "

"I'm doing my best! " exclaimed the young girl with a bored pout.

Getting up, the Pharaoh held out a hand for her to rise in her turn, declaring mysteriously when she faced him:

"Who said you couldn't do your own inspections? "

"Huh? "

Frowning, Mana prepared to ask for more explanations before suddenly opening her eyes wide, extending her arms, taking a step back.

"Oh, I know what you're up to! No way! "

"Why not?! " the young king vehemently shouted as he approached the girl, who stepped back a step further.

"Come on, Mana, I'm begging you! Just once! One, tiny, little one time! "

"No! No! And no! What if the guards saw us?! Worst! What if Mahad saw us?! I don't intend to meet Anubis yet! "

"Please... " Atem murmured, nibbling his bottom lip before finally winking at his friend, stating underhandedly:

"Imagine the number of things you could learn from spying on Mahad... "

"But... "

"Alright. If you want to stay a pitiful, low-level magician... " retorted the Pharaoh, turning around, crossing his arms over his chest and concealing a mischievous grin.

"Rhaaaa! Fine! It's okay, we go! "

Putting a hand on her forehead in shaking her head, Mana grabbed the wrist of the laughing sovereign, dragging him into a remote corner of the gardens.

"Shhhhhh... if you really want me to take you with me, you better keep quiet. Today, it's me who gives the orders! "

"Understood, O great Dark Magician Girl. "

Rolling her eyes, the little priestess smiled, and revealing her wand, waved it in the air, the wall in front of which they were standing suddenly becoming translucent.

"Ah, no, that's not good at all! " the young girl was indignant, placing a hand on her mouth.

"What's the matter? " asked the Pharaoh, tilting his head to one side.

"You can't walk in this outfit in town, everyone will recognize you! "

"Are you kidding me? The king of Egypt wandering in Khemet without his royal guard and no means of transport? No, believe me, there's no need to worry. At best, I'm just someone who looks a lot like him. "

"Yeah, and the millennium puzzle? "

"Hmm? "

Looking at the inverted pyramid-shaped object hanging from his neck, Atem sighed and, after a long moment of hesitation, put a trembling hand on it, gently pulling it away.

"Oh no! No! No! You're immediately going to put that back around your neck and forget about the city break trip! "

"Absolutely not! " the young king rebuked, frowning, handing the golden pyramid to his friend. "Just tell me you can keep it in a safe place? "

"I... Yes, of course... "

The millennium puzzle disappeared in a cloud of white smoke between the palms of the sovereign and interlacing the fingers of their joined hands, the two teenagers engaged in the magical passage opened by the girl, walking along the path connecting the palace to the city while the blowing wind was lifting fine waves of sand.

**_##########_ **

Not enough air. This is the first correct thought that came into his mind as the market was now looking like a huge sea of villagers. Inhabitants squeezing against each other, buying, selling, and arguing with each other.

Packed with people, Khemet's main square noisy like he had never experienced before. Trying vaguely to hold on his two feet, he breathed faster and faster, his aching chest stabbing at every breath.

The chains at their feet had been removed, quickly replaced by others linking his hands to his neck, the metal collar clasping around his throat.

Unable to move, Heba desperately sought a way to know the condition of Teana that he could no longer see, the sale of slaves attracting a number of people who had gathered around them like a flock of hungry animals.

Fortunately, Jouno still stood by his side, his face bitter, jaw clenched.

"I swear to ya! What we're, Western pottery?! Back off, heartless leeches! "

Shouting so hard that he could lose his voice at any moment, the blond was pushing back, with his words only, the few individuals who were approaching too close to him and Heba. But his little defence system did not go unnoticed despite the hubbub, which earned him many corrections from their tormentors. That, however, did not seem to stop the young man who was getting up each time from the ground on which he was thrown, his nose bleeding, yelling his insignificant threats again and again.

Heba sighed. It was a hell from which they could not escape, so what was the point of delaying it?

"Don't lose hope. "

"Huh? "

Turning his head sharply, the boy looked at his childhood friend with wide eyes, misunderstanding being easily reading in his amethyst pupils.

"C'mon, Heba. We'll get out of this! Look, no more chains on your feet, we can move freely. All we need is a long enough distraction and that's it! Freedom's for us! "

Smiling gently, Heba leaned slightly against his friend's shoulder, letting a few tears bead in the corner of his eyes.

"Yes... to us freedom! "

Feeling the boy about to fall asleep, Jouno shook himself to make him react, panicking at the idea that he could never wake up again.

"C'mon! Cheer up, big boy! "

"Alright. Alright. "

Standing up again, Heba focused on the distant horizon, imagining himself, Jouno and Teana running away through the desert, finding back the path that would bring them home. His mother must surely believe he was already dead. She certainly would not believes her eyes when she will see them back safe and sound.

His vision becomes blurred and he shook his head to chase those images out of his mind. It was then that he met a look that comforted him, the garnet pupils full of sadness of Teana clinging to his owns, stealthily.

"Teana! " he exclaimed as the figure of the young girl disappeared into the crowd, following the shadow of an unknown man.

"Teana! " he shouted out again, moving forward to join her, but seeing himself being stopped by Jouno's arms, who held him firmly in place.

"It's too late, Heba! It's too late! "

"No! No! "

"Stop! Stop! She's gone, Heba. She's gone... "

Collapsing on the ground, unable to hold himself back any longer, the boy began to cry for a long time, screaming his rage. Then, feeling passing out, he closed his eyes, black enveloping him slowly while his body hit hard the ground without him being able to react.

"Heba! "

It's a weight against his chest that made him suddenly regain consciousness. The most massive of the torturers resting unrestrainedly his foot against his rib cage, preventing him from breathing.

"Ya jerk! Release him! Release him now! "

Jouno's twitchy voice echoed throughout the market as he plunged his tear-drenched eyes into the one of their executioner, the latter stretching his lips in a carnivorous grin.

"This one is alive! Still good for sale! " he shouted to his colleague, who pushed him away forcefully, looking furious.

"In that case, don't bother to kill him, fool! Do you think we can maybe afford the loss of any one of them?! "

Gripping the boy by his metal collar, he lifted him with a quick gesture, forcing him to stay up on both feet.

"Heba?! Heba, answer me! You're alright?! "

The incessant questions of Jouno remained unanswered, the teenager now resembling nothing more but a simple rag doll.

"Oh! This one seems keen to me! How much for it? "

"Huh? It!? "

Heba absently turned his head to the dark-skinned man standing in front of the blond-haired young man, haggling him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"This one causes us a lot of trouble. Your price will be ours, my friend. "

"That's perfect! "

"What?! Back off! Get ya hands off of me, bastard. I swear ya'll regret it! I'm the worst choice ever! "

"He's yours, my friend. Don't let his ridiculous attitude discourage you. He's like a wild dog. Nothin' the right method can't fix, right? "

"Yeah, that's what you'd like! The right method? Ha, I can stand much more than ya think! "

Observing the exchange without making any movement, Heba wanted to ignore the feeling of terror that was oppressing him from the inside. He was going to turn his head away when he intercepted the look of his friend, the latter seeming to tell him to flee without delay.

He frowned. It was out of the question to run away without him. But the blond looked resigned, almost praying the boy with his hazel eyes; so that at least one of them survives free.

Heartbroken, half eaten up by the guilt, Heba closed his eyelids as if to answer in the affirmative to the silent request of his childhood friend.

Smiling, Jouno shifted to one side, so the two tormentors and their client faced him, turning their backs to the teenager. Then, swinging his head forcefully against the nose of one of his torturers, who screamed furiously at this gesture, he yelled to attract the attention of the crowd:

"So?! Still wants me, jerk?! I can do much worse than that! Wait for my hands to be free! "

It was the signal. The villagers gathered around the slave stall and Heba took the opportunity to escape through the crowd, running as fast as his tired legs would allow him to.

_Thanks, Jouno! Sorry!_

Unfortunately, his getaway was quickly noticed, shouts of anger resonating throughout the market.

"Catch him! Do not let him escape! Catch me that brat! "


	3. Destined Encounter & Unexpected Rescuer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here are the explanations of this chapter:
> 
> -Geb is the god of the Earth, he is considered as the first of the Pharaohs. Thus, the throne on which all his successors sat is before all his, hence the sentence that will be pronounced by Atem in this chapter.
> 
> -A diorama is a miniature model.
> 
> Tell me, do you notice the references I make to the manga/anime, or did they completely escape to you?! XD

Each of his steps through the city brought new scents, new landscapes, making him feverish and marvelling at every second. The large alleys, on his right, bordered the town's rich district, lining up on miles immense and prestigious abodes. Extravagant dwellings, painted with dozens of sparkling colours, warm shades of red, orange and green, adorned with long marble columns and broad alabaster balconies decorated with gold filaments. And to his left, the shopping street, invigorating, composed of small shops with burgundy roofs and dressed with thin multicoloured linen curtains.

The further he advanced through the city, the more it galvanized, becoming more and more lively, noisier, the population becoming denser.

His mouth couldn't stop smiling as he twirled his head from side to side and from top to bottom continually. Always walking a little faster at every minute that passed.

How the palace seemed boring in front of this nameless show. The real fun being all around him. But perhaps this was a too much distraction in itself. He did not know how he could have under his control so many things and people. How his responsibilities was becoming heavier, too. To have to protect such a treasure... it seemed impossible to him. He prayed to the Gods to help him in his task. This vision he had in front of his eyes, now that he had discovered it, he wanted to cherish it until the end of his life. And even after his death, when he would rest in the Afterlife, he wished to have the opportunity to continue to watch over this sacred diamond.

It was a desert of wealth that took place before him, so impressive that it was making his head spinning. What is the aim of this, how do we use that? The questions escaped from his lips without him being able or even wanting to do anything about it. Of course, Mana was not as informed as he had hoped for, but the simple fact of asking aloud was enough for the moment to silence his growing curiosity.

He had already sixteen, but he was feeling so ignorant. What was the point of locking oneself in the palace if it were, in the end, to learn nothing? The life that really had the merit of being praised was the one he had here in front of him and not the one that a king was living.

He narrowed his eyes, some agitation seeming to take place at the other end of the market, near the main square of Khemet.

"Mana, what if we go... "

"Hide! "

"What? "

The magician gripped his wrist forcefully, pushing him behind the surrounding wall of a shop, looking discreetly through it.

"What's going on? " calmly asked the Pharaoh, not seeming in the least worried, simply putting his clothes back, which had been disordered during their short run to find a shelter.

"Mahad! " the little priestess lamented, starting to nibble her nails in anguish. "Oh, I'm sure he already knows we're here! Of course, he knows it, how could he ignore it? Aaah, I knew it was a bad idea! "

Sighing under the incessant complaints of the young girl, Atem just turned her away so she would face him, ordering her to be quiet by putting a finger on his mouth, before taking her place, watching in his turn the magician working in the distance, stating:

"Would you calm down. Don't you think that if he knew anything, he would already be here to lecture us? "

"What if he was doing it on purpose ?! What if he was trying to better trap us? " exclaimed the girl, paranoid.

"Doing what exactly? " the sovereign whispered, turning to his friend, looking perplexed.

The silence that followed made him smile, and he nodded towards the back of the building.

"If we go this way, he will not see us. "

"But... "

"Let's go! "

Hurrying down the alleyway, the two teenagers started walking straight ahead, one seeming however more confident than the other.

"Don't you want to go home before Mahad really finds us this time. "

Shaking his head, the young king merely indicated right in front of him with an extending hand.

"There's something going on over there, I want to know. "

"Oh, please... it's probably just a fight between two drunkards, right? "

"No, it's on the market. It's really weird, it looks like half of the city is after something or someo... "

What his pupils perceived at that moment forced Atem to stop abruptly where he was, the rest of the words he was going to pronounce fading in the air as a dread thrill ran along his column spinal.

This sudden action obliged Mana to rush over him, as she, too, did not payed attention to the road, too busy spending her time looking over her shoulder for fear of meeting her mentor.

The Pharaoh's eyes widened in amazement, a boy being his spitting image trying to escape to a dozen people screaming loudly as they tried to catch him. Leaner than a twig of wood, he was fleeing at full speed in the opposite direction, never daring to turn once to check the progress of his pursuers.

"Catch him! Catch this slave on the run! "

_What...!_

The cries that constantly resonated behind him seemed to give the escapees the necessary motivation to keep running despite the miserable state in which he was.

The closer he got, the more the young king felt like he was being out of his depths. A strange sensation slowly making its way to his heart, electrifying his limbs even though his brain was no longer thinking.

"Mana! Go get Mahad! "

"What?! Have you lost your mind?! "

"RIGHT NOW! "

The sovereign's scream of irritation made her body shudder. Never once, had he screamed at her like that. Realizing that it was an urgency, the little priestess did not hesitate any longer and turned back in a hurry, this time without a single glance back.

Seeing that the teenager was getting closer and closer to him, the Pharaoh narrowed his eyes, desperately searching around him with panic.

Eventually stepping into a dead end intersection just wide enough to hide, he strategically positioned himself and waited patiently.

Forcibly grabbing the escapee's arm when he was within range, Atem tipped him behind him in the darkness of the alley, the latter shouting out of surprise. Wedged between the two sections of the wall, the boy, gasping for air, was shaking like a leaf.

At the approach of the men always after him, the young king raised with one hand his cape, the other firmly holding the teenager against him, wrapping up them both just enough to hide them of the sight of the pursuers who passed before them without seeing them.

Once sure they were safe, he turned to the boy sharing the same physique that his, smiling softly at him.

"Are you alright? "

Tending slightly to the question, the latter hesitated for a moment before lowering his head, answering in a whisper:

"Y-Yes... thanks... "

The voice of his new companion spread a certain warmth inside his body that made him chuckle with delight and, putting a look behind him for a second, the sovereign quickly reported his attention to the escapee, frowning while examining him carefully. The sensation that clasped his heart still not leaving him.

"Have we ever met each other by any chance? " he asked at once, now piqued with curiosity.

He genuinely doubted that it was the case, not really having the habit of going out of the palace. But the more he watched him the more he felt close to the puny teenager.

"N-No... " stammered this one, shaking his head from side to side, which made him feel dizzy.

Catching the boy in his arms, this feeling of closeness struck him even more clearly and, clutching him harder, he gently grabbed his chin between his fingers to raise his face towards his own.

"Name? " questioned the Pharaoh, his purple pupils dipping into those amethysts of his companion.

"I... "

"Well, I just saved your life, so I, at least, deserve the right to know your name. " he insisted, pressing his frail body against his.

"H-Heba... " confessed the escapee, his cheeks red.

"Heba... " repeated the young king, daydreaming.

Sighing, he released his temporary hostage, letting him walk several steps away as he thought about whether he had ever heard this name somewhere. Unfortunately, his wanderings stopped there, a moist hand gripping his shoulder firmly, the uncomfortable sensation making him open his eyes wide as he saw himself forced to turn around abruptly, a voice barking with anger:

"Here you are, you little vicious snake! "

Frowning again, a muted anger twisting the fine features of his face, he freed himself from the grip of the man with a quick wave of the hand, obliging the latter to back off to the point of losing his balance, instantly falling on the ground, right in the middle of the main square, completely exposed to the dazzling light of Ra.

"What...! Who do you think you are, brat!? "

Gritting his teeth, Atem grabbed Heba's hand, squeezing his palm against his own, stepping forward in front of the one who turned out to be one of the torturers.

An intense golden glow, in the shape of a pyramid suddenly shone around his neck, and the sovereign, looking up, scornfully smiled at his opponent.

"My name is Atem! Son of Aknamkanon! Heir to the throne of Geb, Pharaoh of the great land of holy Egypt! "

"Wha-...!? "

The millennium puzzle stopped gleaming against his chest and the Pharaoh let his eyes scan through the speechless crowd standing in front of him, watching the divine item with horror.

"Your Majesty! "

Turning to his right, the young king nodded in the direction of Mahad who was moving quickly towards him, a troop of soldiers and Mana at his side.

"Are you alright, my Pharaoh? " the magician asked, joining him, slightly surprised at the sight of the boy standing next to him.

"This man... " declared the sovereign solemnly, pointing to the individual. "Allow himself to accost me and desecrate my name. "

Turning with a quick gesture towards the tormentor who suddenly became silent, the shock paralyzing him on the spot, Mahad rebuked in a tone filled with anger:

"What?! You, miserable little merchant, dares to address to your Pharaoh and insult him in public?! "

"N-no... well... "

"Silence! The Pharaoh never lie! You will face the judgment of the Gods and will be condemned to wander forever in the Shadow Realm! Guards, seize him! "

The royal guards gathered around the slave merchant, gripping him forcefully as the latter struggled like a madman, stammering apologies, complaints and other incomprehensible words.

"Wa-Wait! "

Heba's small voice, hoarse because of the dehydration, abruptly echoed through the ambient hubbub, catching everyone's eye.

"Let him go... leave him... "

"Heba... "

Atem frowned a little more, getting closer to the boy to put his hands on his shoulders, his face concerned.

"If you fear for your life, you don't have to worry, we will find his accomplice and... "

"N-No... " Heba murmured, his eyes deliberately avoiding those of his saviour after the revelation of his identity. "As monstrous as this man is by doing what he does, I don't think he deserves such a severe sanction... nobody deserves it... "

"Th-That's right! I'm sorry! I won't do it anymore... "

"Silence scavenger! "

The cry of the young king roared like the thunder between the houses, turning the villagers and onlookers' blood to ice while they were gathered all around the scene.

"Heba? " the Pharaoh called again, more calmly.

"As long as he releases the rest of the prisoners... "

Narrowing his eyes, Atem smiled mischievously, intrigued. In addition to his astonishing resemblance, there was something strange about this boy. It was the first time he met a person of his kind.

"That, if I expected it! "

At the exclamation of surprise of the little priestess, the crowd dispersed in a general agreement, each going back to what they were doing before the agitation due to this arrest by the hands of the Pharaoh himself. The soldiers also disappeared in the company of the torturer, leaving to find the slaves, always on sale on the stalls, to free them from their chains.

"Mana... " Mahad hissed as he crossed his arms over his chest, seemingly about to lecture his student.

"Ah, yes... I know... I'm going to have problems... But, can it wait later...? "

Not even waiting for her mentor's answer, the magician forced herself to appear less worried despite the terrible sermon to which she would be entitled when she'll return home, turning to the boy whom her sovereign had just saved, but only falling on complete emptiness. Blinking several times, she scanned the area to try to find him, fidgeting when she noticed him walking away slowly, with an unsteady gait.

"But... where is he going?! "

"Huh? "

Turning in his turn, the young king froze a minute, bewildered, before running after the teenager, standing in front of him to prevent him from going further.

"Hold on! Where are you going to go like that?! "

Looking away, Heba nibbled his lip in embarrassment, barely retaining a wailing of pain when his thin skin ripped off, fine drops of blood colouring his milky mouth.

"I'm really thankful for your help, but I'm going to handle things by myself now," he whispered, his pupils beading with tears as he stubbornly remained with his head bowed.

"By yourself?! " the Pharaoh exclaimed incredulously. "That's insane, you barely stand up, you're hungry, thirsty... And then, you're not from here, am I wrong? "

"I... "

"Please, let me help you... "

"No! "

His voice sounded a little harder than he would have wanted and the Pharaoh stepped back, shaken.

"I mean... Great One... you've done enough for me already... Thank you, really... " he tried to explain, panicked.

"Atem. " the sovereign simply whispered, his eyelids closed.

"I beg your pardon? " the boy gasped, not understanding.

Shaking his head, Atem crossed the space that still separated him from his double, and smiling, repeated:

"Atem. Do not ask me why, but I refuse that you call me in any other way than by name. And now, let me take you to the palace. If only to take off those irons and give you food to regain your strength, okay? "

Heba began to shift from one foot to another, uncertain. But not even waiting for his answer, the Pharaoh gently grabbed his hand in his own and began to turn back under the surprised gaze of the two magicians.

**_##########_ **

The sound of his feet pacing up and down echoed through the empty council room. For the umpteenth time since they had returned from the city, Mana watched her mentor go around the huge rectangular golden table that almost all alone was filling the room, looking annoyed.

Stopping a second in front of the two massive cat statues, which was supposed to represent the Goddess Bastet, standing against the back of the room and surrounding the seat reserved for the Pharaoh, he grunted something that the girl did not understand and began to make circles again, looking even more bored than before.

The little priestess held a sigh, slightly worried. As long as Mahad did not lecture her, she stayed suspended. But it seemed that the magician also wanted to speak to his sovereign. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found, having mysteriously disappeared in the company of the boy whose he had saved the life a few minutes after their arrival at the palace.

The diorama depicting the city of Khemet and its borders that covered the table attracted her and preferring to focus on the small troops of royal soldiers in dried clay and the warships, she let her imagination wander so much that when the voice of her teacher resonated loudly, she jumped with fright.

"But where did he go?! "

"He's in the kitchens. "

Turning suddenly, the two magicians looked with the same surprising way at the man who had just entered without even being announced, completely impassive.

"Seth. " Mahad called in a whisper.

"He's in the kitchens with the boy. " repeated the guardian of the millennium rod, still calmly.

"The kitchens? But it's the first time he set foot there! What... what is he doing there? " asked the wearer of the millennium ring, dumbfounded.

"He's watching the boy having something to eat. " simply replied the priest, rolling his eyes.

"He's watching him eat? " Mana said, stunned.

"And all smiles on top of that! "

And indeed, the young king was in the place that the priest Seth had indicated, doing exactly what this one had said he was doing.

Carelessly leaning on his elbow, on a small wooden table at the other end of the kitchens, his head resting in one of his hands, the Pharaoh was gazing at the former slave on the run, his face gaping.

The latter, however, seemed not to care, too busy to dip into each of the dishes he had in front of him, a real buffet having been prepared.

Mahad stopped at the entrance to the room, unable to utter a word. His sovereign being in all likelihood hypnotized by their guest. It is true that their strange resemblance deeply intrigued the magician, but his curiosity was not comparable to the one that was showing the young king.

"My Pharaoh. " he finally called, getting a grip on himself.

"He's a blessed being of the Gods, Mahad. " Atem whispered, never looking away from his host. "Have we never seen a heart so pure before? "

"Certainly, choosing to spare his tormentor was very altruistic on his part. "

"Altruistic?! If the decision had been mine, I would have killed him with my bare hands! " declared the Pharaoh, getting up hurriedly, joining the priest on the doorstep, crossing his arms over his chest while continuing to observe his companion.

"Majesty... I never heard you talk like that. "

"I know. I surprise myself. But you see, I feel connected to Heba. I feel like it's my duty to protect him. "

"Like every inhabitant of Egypt... "

"No, him more than anyone else. "

"But you hardly know him. "

"And that's what I do not understand. My millennium puzzle did not push him back, so I know he's not dangerous, but there's something else. "

Sighing, the magician stepped back, bowing low in front of his sovereign while announcing:

"I can inquire if you wish. "

"No, Mahad. "

Opening wide his eyes of wonder, the ring-bearer straightened up, questioning the young king silently.

"It is not up to us, mere mortals, to contest the fate chosen for us by the Gods. " revealed Atem, frowning, placing a hand on the shoulder of his faithful subject and friend, adding: "Heba ended up on my path, whatever is the reason for such a circumstance, I will accomplish my task without fail. "

Slowly nodding, the magician disappeared into the darkness of the corridor without a word, walking up the basement stairs and going back to his quarters to continue to instruct his student.

Leaning his back against the edge of the table, the sovereign began to smile tenderly and asked in a soft voice:

"I hope you enjoyed this meal? "

"Y-Yes... " Heba answered, blushing, putting down the glass of water that had spent half of the time between his lips. "Thank you... "

"Don't thank me, it's perfectly normal. Can I do something else for you? Would you like to take a bath and put on some clean clothes? " asked the Pharaoh, tilting his head to one side.

"N-No... it'll be fine... I've already abused your kindness too much, Majesty... " the teenager murmured, looking away, intimidated.

"Atem. And I'm telling you it does not bother me. "

"B-But... " stammered the boy, his amethyst pupils clinging into the purple ones of his saviour.

"Listen... I refuse to let you go only for you to sleep outside like a beggar. I can send emissaries to your home, to warn your parents that you're fine, for example. " the young king explained, resting his palms behind him on the edge of the table.

"Y-You would do that?! "

"Of course. So? "

"I would be very grateful. "

"At one condition. " whispered the sovereign, facing his double, narrowing his eyes maliciously.

"W-Which one? " said Heba, worried.

"You'll stay here with me until your parents come looking for you. Deal? "

Reaching out a hand, the boy seemed to hesitate for a second before handing his own, clutching the Pharaoh's, a grin stretching the corners of his mouth.

Atem froze at this vision. It was the first time he was seeing the teenager smile since they had met. An intense warmth spread again throughout his body, making him shiver with happiness.

Not releasing his hold, he forced the former slave to get up, dragging him behind him as he returned to his apartments.

"Tell me, Heba, do you know how to play cards?! "


	4. Grieving Bless & Eternal Happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations of the Chapter:
> 
> -All Games/Toys mentioned in this chapter are absolutely real and existed in Ancient Egypt. If you want to learn the rules of them, search the net.
> 
> -Aldawminu means Domino in ancient Egyptian, so the city's name of the original manga. :)
> 
> -I want to make it clear that I am absolutely against animal torture, wearing furs, and brocade in general. Unfortunately, if I want to make this fiction to be a minimum realistic, I must use methods of the time. Then you will hear in this chapter and the following, about "materials" in the skin of... et cetera.
> 
> Thank you for not blaming about it... T_T

The immensity of the room made him feel dizzy. Freezing on the spot, Heba was unable to go one step further in what looked like a gigantic playroom.

Divided into four distinct parts, the private apartments of the Pharaoh gave the impression of being in those of a toddler.

The furthest room, in the background, was used as a bedroom. Smaller than all the others, it consisted only of a golden wooden bed adorned with sculptures representing the Egyptian gods in their animal forms, and several chests of different sizes arranged here and there. The large bed, where five people could easily sleep together, had an off-white goose-feather mattress covered with turquoise, cyan, and coral cushions, as well as a few stuffed-clothed cloth dolls in the shapes of strange big-eyed hairballs and skeletal dragon.

The second room, on his right, contained only a small rectangular gold table covered with multicoloured wooden spinning-tops, in front of which lay a chair in reed. A large open buffet filled with hundreds of papyrus rolls was also resting against the wall, on the side.

The one in which he was standing, in the middle of the other three, seemed to serve as both an entrance and a hall. In the centre, there was a large ivory round table painted with motifs of swans taking flight and crocodiles emerging from the waters. Three silver-coloured chairs, made of palm leaves, and covered with goatskin on their seats surrounded it elegantly. On it, lay also several different toys such as stylized clays figurines of what appeared to be magicians girls in lemon yellow, apple green, and chocolate brown, and miniature animals like hippopotamuses with open mouths and mice with moving tail. (*)

Finally, the last room on his left, obviously the largest of all, was a sort of continuation to the one of the middle. Facing the balcony, it was filled with cushions placed on the floor, over a glowing carpet, and multiples chequered coffee tables. Several board games were piling up everywhere. From Hounds and Jackals to Mehen, the Game of the Snake, through Aseb, the Twenty Squares Game. Tons of leather balls and wooden horse toys with wheels completed the rest.

Heba stepped back, both intimidated and amazed. This room seemed straight out of a dream. Yes, many times, he had had the wish to own such things, he who was so passionate about games of all kinds.

"You can come in. Here, what is mine is yours. " said the sovereign with amusement, noticing the sparkling glow that animated the pupils of his double.

But the boy did not really seem to listen to him, completely fascinated by everything around him.

"Is it Senet ?! " he asked suddenly as he headed for a board game with pawns resting on the floor of the fourth room, gently touching it, as if afraid to break it between his tiny fingers.

 _At least he looks more relaxed..._  thought the young king, smiling softly, approaching the teenager.

"Do you how to play? "

"I know the rules, but this is the first time I see one in real. "

"You know the rules, but you never played? It's odd… "

"I really like games... But where I come from, it's not like I could afford one... "

Atem tilted his head to the side, puzzled. How many people of his age had the same passion than him for games? Very little in truth, and if he was not so good at military strategies, and surrounded by his faithful priests, never would the council members have taken him seriously as a king. And certainly, it would not have been so easy for him to take his father's place, even though he was the rightful heir.

"Heba... do you really like games? " he questioned in a breath, his eyes veiled.

"Yes! Very much! "

Stretching his lips in a smile at once filled with sadness and gladness, the Pharaoh raised his head towards his companion, settling on the ground while saying with enthusiasm:

"In that case, let's see how good you are! "

Heba narrowed his eyes as he watched the sovereign, slightly worried. There was something in his way of acting as if one had just removed from him a huge weight off his shoulders, and at the same time, as if he had suddenly lost all that he cherished the most in this world.

Intrigued, the boy settled in his turn on the ground, facing the Pharaoh, and placing a hesitant hand on his, he murmured:

"Is everything alright? "

Eyes widening, Atem plunged them into those of the teenager, surprised. Usually, he could easily hide his feelings, so why...

With a comforting little smile, Heba intertwined his fingers with those of the young king, announcing in a soft voice:

"For today, let's try to forget all our worries and have fun as long as the sun shines in the sky, okay? "

"Yes… "

**_##########_ **

Absolute darkness, gloomy world, where even nothingness no longer exists, replaced by a void of blackness and lies.

It's a Shadow Game that he did not win. Betting once again on his life, his family, his friends, realizing only too late that there was no escape.

Now, here he is forever trapped in this eternity of suffering, where he has nothing left but his tears, flowing indefinitely over his face, to remind him that he still exists.

He lost everything, drop everything. The traitor who give in. It was dying or abandoning. He chose the easy way. And now he pays the consequences of his acts. He cries, cries and retracts. Screaming that he's sorry, while the sun still refuses to rise up.

Punished by the Gods he has betrayed, unloved and helpless. Disowned by all those to whom he once attached himself to, whom he has denigrated or forgotten...

"Heba! "

The call of his name made him open his eyelids in a jolt of consciousness, while warm hands held him with force.

His pupils still bathed in tears he did not remember having shed, he observed with astonishment as a sort of deformed double of himself was standing above him, looking worried.

Straightening up slowly in a sitting position, he looked around him absently, not recognizing neither the places or the things around him.

"Heba. "

Plunging his gaze back into the one of his almost doppelganger, he tilted his head to the side, asking in a whisper:

"W-What happened? "

"Heba... "

Simply calling him for the umpteenth time of the night, the Pharaoh put a delicate hand on the cheek of his game partner, caressing it distractedly.

"Nothing. Nothing happened. You just had a nightmare. A terrible nightmare. But don't worry Heba, I'm watching over you. Nothing will happen to you, I promise. "

The soft, warm voice of his alter ego instantly calmed him, and all the events of the day before suddenly came back to his memory.

"Oh no... Teana, Jouno... what... what did I do!? I abandoned them, and now... now... "

Atem frowned at these words, intrigued. So, the boy hadn't arrived alone in town.

"Heba. " he whispered, trying to catch the teenager's attention. "Tell me. Tell me where you are from and who your friends are. "

Raising his head toward the sovereign, Heba dried his eyes, leaving his gaze drifting toward the window, where the moon floated high in the night sky.

"My apologies, Majesty... I woke you up... "

"For the hundredth time, it's Atem. And do not talk nonsense. I told you I would take care of you, and that's what I intend to do. "

Sharing only half the affectionate smile that the young king offered him, the boy sighed, twisting the skeletal dragon's doll between his fingers as he began to narrate:

"I grew up in a village called Aldawminu. There, I did not have many friends, and I spent most of my time playing games, solving puzzles, just to deceive my loneliness. "

The Pharaoh nibbled his bottom lip as he listened to his companion's account. His story strangely echoing his.

"With time, I was able to make precious friends. Jouno... and Teana... Jouno is a bit of a scrapper, and he's always easily riled, but he's also a reliable friend you can count on. He also loves games, especially card ones. Together, we could play for hours. And Teana, she was always there to defend me against the other children of the village, to comfort me. She is so kind, and she fights with conviction for what she believes in, even if it's against everyone's opinion. She loves to dance, she spends her days doing that... Well, she spent... "

His voice choked and he just stopped himself from crying again, afraid to look miserable.

"And the three of you ended up in the hands of the slave traders? "

"One day, Teana did not return from a walk in the desert, so Jouno and I went to look for her. When we finally managed to find her, we were captured in our turn. They kidnapped us, trailed in the hot sand and under the burning sun of the Sahara for days before we finally got here. "

"What happened? " asked the sovereign, grabbing the hand of his double to push him to continue in his tracks.

"They only fed us once during the whole trip, so when we got to the market, we were all very weak. Teana was sick, she had a fever, she looked like she was already dead. T-There was a man who bought her and... I-I couldn't stop him...! "

The tears began to flow again without him being able to prevent them this time, and the arms of the young king suddenly surrounded him. Holding him insistently against himself, just like he did it the first time they met, he whispered words of comfort in his ear, looking sorry.

"Oh, Heba... you couldn't have stopped him! Nobody in your state could have! "

Placing his head against the neck of his alter ego and wrapping his naked back with his hands, Heba started to speak again, focusing on the Pharaoh's regular heartbeats that he could feel in his own chest.

"After that, someone else has come. He wanted to buy Jouno. And of course, Jouno fought back. And while he was creating a diversion, I ran away... "

Shifting finally away from the sovereign, Heba held his gaze and completely depressed, said vehemently.

"I should have stayed! I should have made sure we could both run away! "

"You couldn't have done anything! " Atem shouted, his pupils shining brightly in the bluish night. "Your friends sacrificed themselves so that you could live! Denied this new life, it's like denied their sacrifices! You might have preferred to stay?! And in this case, what would have brought the loss of the three of you? "

Pushing his nails into the flesh of his arms, the young king approached the boy until their breaths mingled, exclaiming desperately:

"You're alive Heba! You are alive! And I can only thank the Gods for such a gift! It's a chance I never thought I would have! "

Eyes widening, Heba froze in the steady hands of the Pharaoh who refused to let him go. This feeling he had felt when their fingers intertwined the day before, during their game. As if their souls were now one.

And the strange fact that they share the same appearance, which also had not escaped to the teenager, leaving him in a state of perpetual questioning.

The grieving bless that was their meeting have allowed Atem to regain the happiness of living.

Opposite who had attracted similar ones. Two distinct but identical persons, who look like each other but are different, understanding one another without understanding themselves.

Two beings with the same fate. Two lives that share the same pain. And this fear of being alone again, which drives them undeniably towards each other.

If it was a wish that suddenly decided to come true, then he thinks it would be the one to meet somebody he could never forget. Because every time his eyes would cross his reflection, he would remember...


	5. Play to Chill & Play to Kill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations of the Chapter:
> 
> -Bedtime story: Every evening, when the sun setting, it is said that Ra goes to the kingdom of the dead by crossing the Nile aboard the sacred boat of Tefnut, the water goddess. In order to bring light back to Earth the next day, he had to face the serpent god Apophis through twelve stages, the douat. With the help of the god Seth, the goddess Isis, and the goddess cat Bastet, he succeeded in these trials and could be reborn under the name Khepri at dawn, to become Ra at the zenith, and finally Atum at twilight.
> 
> -Queen Katimala, of the Kerma Kingdom (which is the ancient name of Nubia, now representing southern Egypt and northern Sudan), is a character who really existed according to the registers. However, no information about her was found in addition to her name, so I allowed myself to describe her as I wanted.

"It's a small village called Aldawminu, in the west of the Valley of the Kings. From what I understood, they were three when they disappeared. "

"Very well. We will send soldiers there to warn the families. "

"Thank you. "

Atem let himself fell against the backrest of his throne, sighing. Resting his head in one of his hands, he offered a sweet smile to the grey-haired old man standing in front of him, asking with curiosity:

"Anything else, Shimon? "

The grand vizier looked around him suspiciously before approaching the Pharaoh, and holding a hand against the corner of his mouth, he murmured in a whisper:

"About the boy... "

"Heba. "

"Yes, that's it. I'm afraid there are already rumours that circulate within the palace. "

Frowning, the sovereign straightened up in his seat to lean slightly forward, intrigued.

"What kind of rumours? "

"Well... your resemblance didn't escape to anyone and... some people are wondering... " the former holder of the millennium key told hesitantly.

"For Ra's sake Shimon, stop the mysteries and tell me clearly what it is! " said the young king impatiently.

"These are just unpleasant gossips... but I heard some servants claiming that the boy and his Majesty would be bound by blood, but that you sent him away to evict him from the throne... "

"What?! "

Standing up hurriedly while exclaiming, Atem, eyes wide with surprise, froze a few seconds in front of his adviser.

"These are just rumours, Pharaoh... do not pay attention to them. "

Getting a grip on himself, the Pharaoh slowly sat back in his seat, stunned.

"We must be understanding... We all have questions here... "

"But to think that I would be capable of such a thing... "

Tilting his head to the side, Shimon frowned in his turn, questioning his sovereign, perplexed.

"Is that what bothers you the most? That some would believe that you're capable to oust your own brother because of power lust...? "

"Isn't it obvious?! " shouted Atem, getting up again, taking a few steps in the throne room to reach the balcony where he had once been proclaimed king.

"I am not going to take offence that some think that Heba and I are related. There would be no inconvenience to such a situation. "

Clutching the ledge tightly to the point of bleaching his phalanxes, he sighed, whispering to himself.

"Everything would have been much simpler this way... "

Joining the young king outside, Shimon put a comforting hand on his shoulder, smiling gently.

"Maybe the Gods have heard your prayers... "

"You really think so? "

"That's what I like to believe, at least. "

"My Pharaoh... "

Turning abruptly at this call, the sovereign and the grand vizier watched with amazement as Mahad stood a few meters away from them, Mana and Heba beside him.

"I'm going to silence the nasty mouths that dare to spread these lies. " the old man announced, taking his leave, being held back at the last second by the Pharaoh, who declared in a calm voice:

"Shimon... some temperance... "

"As always, our Pharaoh shows great leniency. "

Once the adviser had left, Atem returned to his throne, stopping however just in front of the steps to look intensively at his double.

Dressed in a long cotton cream tunic tied up by a purple silk belt, and adorned with gold jewellery similar to his, he looked ill at ease, standing far away from the two magicians, his amethyst pupils locked on the ground.

"Is everything fine? " he finally asked to the ring holder's attention while greeting the little priestess with a discreet movement of the head.

"Mana has to go back to her studies. " simply stated Mahad.

"I would have rather stayed! But Mahad insists so much... " the girl said boredly.

"Of course I insist! How do you want to progress if you never train? " the priest gets annoyed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I see... " the young king replied, an amused smile on his mouth. "Unfortunately, I still have businesses to deal with, so I can't take care of Heba right now. "

"I can take care of myself very well! "

The sudden sound of the teenager's voice, until then stubbornly silent, forced the other three people present to turn to him, surprised.

The features of his face relaxing slightly, Atem stepped towards the latter, indicating gently:

"I just didn't want you to be left to your own devices in a place you know nothing about, but if you don't mind waiting for me alone until I'm done with the affairs of the kingdom, very well. "

Nodding his head in the affirmative, the boy also smiles at the sovereign before the magician quickly added:

"Alright. In this case, we go. Mana! "

Shaking a hand toward the young girl as a goodbye, Heba began to follow the Pharaoh who was also walking away, the latter questioning him when he arrived at his side.

"How was the day? "

"Pretty good. But to be perfectly honest, winning at every turn ends up becoming tiresome... " related his double, chuckling embarrassingly.

"For her, this isn't a big change since she was constantly losing with me too. " disclosed Atem, nostalgic. "That said, losing when you're not used to it can be as much fun as winning too. "

"This game against me the other day, was it the first time you did not win? " the boy inquired, eagerly waiting for the answer from his "other me".

"That's right. " the sovereign revealed in a breath, still smiling.

"I'm sorry... "

"What are you sorry for? I told you, I found this refreshing. Of course, don't think I'm not resentful. I absolutely want a return match! "

"Okay! "

Stopping at the threshold of two large golden doors, Atem drifted his purple pupils to the corridor in his left, asking one last question to his game partner while raising a hand towards the panels.

"Will you be able to find your way back to my apartments? "

"Yes, definitively! " Heba said with haste, wanting to be reassuring.

"Perfect. The meeting with the Council should not last long, if you need anything, you just have to call Nailah. "

"I know. Everything will be alright... hmm... Atem... "

His eyes widening in astonishment for the second time that day, the Pharaoh took a moment to make sure he had heard correctly, before quickly replacing this expression with a face of pure rapture.

His lips stretching as far as they could, he winked connivingly to the boy and said in laughing:

"Wonderful! I see you finally understood. "

**_##########_ **

It was a twilight like so many others for the land of Egypt. Bathed in shades of orange and pink, the sun god Khepri had disappeared at the zenith to become Ra before finally setting under the name of Atum.

And this night, again, he would travel in the sacred boat of Tefnut, in the underworld, to fight the serpent Aphosis and bring back the light into the world from above before the chaos engulfs it.

Closing his eyelids while resting the papyrus he had in his hands, Atem let himself be lulled by the quieter sounds of the city.

The hours seemed to have flown by at full speed, and when he had been finally able to join his game partner in the room, this one had fall half-asleep.

Spread-eagled on the bed, surrounded by his clay figurines and other toys, he looked like a child. A comparison that would probably not please him given the reaction he had the last time the sovereign had made him the remark.

The Pharaoh smiled, looking away, touched. He who had wanted to escape to his obligations by pretending to have to take care of his double, he had inevitably ended up working.

The millennial puzzle around his neck began to shake suddenly while producing a powerful golden glow and he frowned, turning to the doors of his apartments as they opened in a din, awakening the sleeping boy in the same time.

"Atem! "

"What's going on, Seth? " he asked as he put his pupils towards the worried teenager, reassuring him with a nod, before returning his attention to the priest.

"Assassins have slipped into the palace! " replied the latter, his face tense of annoyance because of such a breach in the security of the royal residence.

"How?! " questioned the young king in standing up, narrowing his eyes as he approached the bearer of the millennium rod.

"Unfortunately, we still ignore it... I wonder what the hell Mahad is doing! "

"No need to blame the others. What are the orders? "

"The guards inside the palace as well as the magician went to their search. Isis is ready to tell us their positions as soon as she has had the vision of it. I advise you to stay locked here with the boy until we have captured them. " declared the icy-eyed man in one breath, raising a hand towards two soldiers who were standing behind him so they place themselves in front of the doors and keep access of it.

"Very well. For the safety of Heba, I will follow your advice. For this time only... " announced the Pharaoh, smiling maliciously, as if trying to tease the priest.

"I am delighted to finally have succeeded in convincing you, Dear Cousin. " Seth simply related with a knowing smile, adding before leaving: "We will call on you when all danger will be warded off and when it will be time to judge these criminals. "

The doors closed on the shadow of his cloak flying in the wind, and Atem held his forehead with one hand, preoccupied.

Again, assassins were targetting his life, trying to get rid of him, contesting his title and his legitimacy... did their motivations find their source in old conflicts, or did the rumours about him and Heba also spread in the city, causing confusion among his people ...?

"Dear cousin? "

The Pharaoh turned abruptly at these words, offering a reassuring smile to his partner while joining him on the bed, explaining:

"That's right. Seth and I are cousins. His father and mine were brothers. It's something well known here, but I guess that kind of stories does not get to distant villages like yours. "

"Yes. "

"Myself, I only discovered this fact just a few years ago. "

"How is it possible? " Heba dared to ask, bowing his head in embarrassment.

Laughing slightly, the sovereign lifted it with a finger under his chin, indicating:

"Because Seth too did not know who his father was until... "

"Until? " the boy could not help but repeat, putting suddenly a hand on his mouth, looking shocked. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business. "

"No! No... it's common knowledge so there's nothing wrong with you knowing it too, it's just that... it's complicated. "

Sighing as he made his way to the balcony, not exceeding the threshold, however, of fear of a hidden archer, he leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest and narrated with some sadness in his voice:

"My predecessor is guilty of a crime that would have eternally bring shame on our family if he had not saved the kingdom in compensation... Because he is the one who pushed the former Pharaoh to commit this crime, and for fear of reprisals, my uncle, Aknadin, never revealed his true identity to Seth. "

Pacing up and down in the playroom, Atem sighed again, stopping abruptly to watch the sunset.

"But I imagine that past always ends up catching us. A... witness... of this crime presented himself one day to the palace. He had grown up in the hate and anger of this act, and he demanded redress... or rather, he wanted revenge. Whatever it be, my father was already dead, so it was me who took the responsibility to combat this enemy who was threatening the lives of innocent people. I fought against him and I won... and my father's sins became mine... "

Turning to the teenager, the sovereign offered him a weak smile, finding back his place beside him on the bed.

"As a result of this story, Aknadin was forced to tell the whole truth. And that's how we knew... I forgave my uncle, I kept him with me as a High Priest, he's the one who holds the power of the millennium eye. But my father's soul is forever trapped of his actions, and that's something I cannot stand. Nor am I ignorant of his jealousy toward me, of his desire to see his son take my title… But Seth is loyal enough to oppose him, and now, this is the life I live, as sullied as it can be... "

"You are not responsible for what the others have done! "

Shouting hastily, surprising the young king in the meantime, Heba grabbed the hands of his alter ego, squeezing them firmly against his own as he continued in his momentum:

"Whatever that crime is, you did not perpetuate it, and this witness was as ignorant of its authors as you were of this story! "

Unable to utter a single word, the Pharaoh merely nodded, thin tears beading at the corners of his eyes. He had so often wanted to hear these words, the strength that his double put in them only giving them more impact on his guilty conscience.

"Thank you... "

"There is no need to thank me, I'm only telling the truth. "

His mouth stretched in a delighted smile, Heba got up to go toward the desk, looking with curiosity at the many papyrus scattered on it, though without opening them, stating calmly:

"Is there a connection between the coming of these assassins and this old story? "

Astounded one more time, the sovereign approached the boy, leaning on the reed chair while expressing himself:

"You're more sharp-minded than you let it be understood... "

Under the embarrassed gaze of the boy, he continued with more seriousness.

"You're right. The revelation of our kinship pushed some of my uncle's followers to believe that the true Pharaoh could only be Seth. I'm not reluctant to give him my place when I will leave this world. On the contrary, I think it's the best choice possible. In spite of his blinkered character, he's a fair and good man... But as long as I will live, this throne will be mine! "

"So, formerly, they wanted your uncle to be the Pharaoh, and now they want it to be his son...? "

"They have only in the idea of overthrowing the current ruler to bring the darkness along... a contestation of the power, and this is the whole kingdom that will be in danger. Upper Egypt is fragile, and this chaos would give to our neighbours the opportunity to invade us. "

Knocks resonated in the room, and the young king walked towards the doors, receiving the visitor with relief.

"Karim... "

"My Pharaoh... We have captured the criminals, their trials are about to start, we are only waiting for you. " the priest revealed, bowing slightly in a greeting way.

"I'm coming right away. " Atem replied, turning one last time to his game partner, indicating calmly, "I want you to stay here, Heba. You don't have to attend that kind of thing. "

Disappearing in his turn in the long corridor, the sovereign moved away without saying anything more, leaving Heba alone in the middle of the room, intrigued.

_That kind of thing?_

**_##########_ **

The throne room was nothing more than a huge golden emptiness facing a terrace overlooking the entrance to the palace and offering as the only horizon the entire city of Khemet.

The throne with a triangular top rested against the right wall of the room, above stone steps, its armrests in the shape of a lion's head only making its owner even more intimidating.

The latter was, by the way, sitting on it, his features drawn, sharp-eyed, observing with some disdain the defendants kneeled at his feet.

"Let it be stated the crimes for which these men were judged guilty! "

It was a system that other countries denigrated and praised all at once. A fair and impartial trial, where the accused would be given the chance to prove their innocence if innocents they were.

Heba knew what he had in front of him without even having once took part in one of them. In distant villages, the old laws reigned supreme, and to those who were accused, no time will be allowed.

Unfolding a scroll, the Grand Vizier Shimon began to read aloud:

"Aharon and Jabare, arrested by the guard as they tried to access the royal apartments. The charges are: the assassination attempt on the person of the king of Egypt, the Pharaoh Atem. "

The two men so named struggled in the hands of the soldiers who were holding them on the ground before finally calming down when one of them threatened them with the tip of his sabre.

"The witnesses are: the High Priestess Isis by the influence of the power of her millennium necklace, the nobleman Ammon who caught them in the act during-"

"What happened to the two other men? " inquired the sovereign, interrupting his adviser.

"The two other... by the name of Nephi and Adir, were killed while trying to flee... "

Hidden behind a pillar, Heba abruptly turned at these words. Leaning his back against the granite, he covered his mouth with his hand, preventing a hiccup of horror from passing his lips while the two criminals exclaimed with the same angry voice:

"Death to Pharaoh! Death to Pharaoh! "

"ENOUGH! "

The cry of the young king resonated sharply between the walls, and a deathly silence settled down suddenly. Getting up slowly, Atem crossed the room to join the two accused, frowning a little more while asking:

"Given the speed with which you were found, and the obvious lack of practice that resulted in the loss of your accomplice, I am of the opinion that you are no professionals. However, someone did hire you and I want to know who. Even though he does not seem to be the most smartness since he has recruited amateurs like you. "

Seeing the culprits remained stubbornly silent, the Pharaoh sighed, turning away, waving a hand in the air:

"Behead them. "

"Majesty! " Mahad yelled vehemently, terror, mixed with surprise in his eyes echoing the one shared by all the other people in the room.

"There are reliable witnesses, they have committed the act they are accused of. Behead them! "

With a hesitant step, Karim stood in front of the assassins, announcing with authority though still shocked:

"By decree of Pharaoh Atem, you have been sentenced to decapitation... "

Endless tears began to flow down Heba's cheeks, and retaining a groan, he was about to run out of the room when one of the defendants' voices was loudly heard.

"Her name is Adina! She's one of the companions of the Queen of Kerma! Have mercy! "

Atem smiled knowingly at these revelations. Turning back to his court and the two guilty ones, he declared while tilting his head to the side.

"Thanks for this information. It will be duly rewarded, that's a promise! "

Back on his throne, the sovereign swept a hand again in the air, and still smiling, quickly ordered:

"May the millennium trial begin! "

Heba stared in amazement as the priests succeeded one another in front of the prisoners, using their divine items to extract a frightening monster from their chests, apparently the symbol of their bad deeds, and then sealing it into a large stone slab before they were dragged out of the palace, their freedoms regained.

"Great One... " called the bearer of the millennium key as he stepped toward the young king. "So, was all this a trick to find the real culprit? "

"Sometimes, Shada, you must know not to play by the rules to get what you want. " replied the Pharaoh, crossing his legs, his chin resting in his right hand.

"What if they had not spoken? " Seth said, frowning in his turn, still astonished by his cousin's own audacity.

"I said it, they are just amateurs. Of course, they were going to talk! They value their lives more than the cause they defend. "

Still a little stunned, the viziers, nomarchs and other nobles started to disperse slowly, leaving the sovereign alone with his priests and his adviser.

"It was very daring on your part, Majesty. " Isis stated, her looks fixed. "Myself, I did not realize this was playacting. "

"But it was cleverly performed. " indicated Aknadin, sharing his nephew's smile. "Thanks to that, we know who has attempted to the life of our king. "

"Still, I'm not sure to like these methods... "

"Your opinion doesn't matter, Mahad! We have exactly what we want, isn't it the most important! "

"Come on, come on... Calm down. The Pharaoh has acted in all good conscience, he's the only one who can judge his actions. "

Observing absently Shimon pronouncing these words, Atem looked around him, his purple pupils lingering on each of his priests.

"I agree that my method is not very ethical, and I promise in future to use more conventional ploys if that can reassure you. "

Acquiescing softly, the wearers of the millennial objects approached the young king, and Karim, first to speak, argued seriously:

"Now it is important to know what should be done against Queen Katimala in retaliation for her actions. "

Heba discreetly walked away to the royal apartments, the rest of the discussion not concerning him.

He was completely exhausted by the continual flow of different feelings that overwhelmed him. At once terrified and fascinated by what he had seen, he felt especially reassured. Yes, reassured that his "other me" was not as cruel as he had made it believe a moment before.

He certainly would not have been able to stay by his side if that had been the case. Even though they had become so close... it would have been so painful not to see him again, much more painful than it had been with Jouno or Teana…


	6. Unworried & Unfeared

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter explanations:
> 
> -The goddess Isis, the mother of Horus, was constantly taking care of him when he was a child because she knew he was promised to a great destiny.
> 
> -Zerzura is a legendary oasis often cited in the eastern tales of North Africa.

One week. Seven days. Seven nights. To watch the sun rise beyond the sand dunes. To admire the moon setting behind the golden horizon that hid the Nile.

Long days filled with games, laughter, and revealed secrets. A long impatience too, while anxiously waiting for any manifestation of his parents.

And a void, deep and painful, that was struggling to close. An injury, made of abandonment, guilt and grief, healing as slowly as it was possible to die of hunger.

Heba rushed his head out of the water, leaning his back against the edge of the basin filled with lotus petals. Closing his eyelids, he let himself be lulled by the backwash, created by the other young man occupying the place and having fun beating small waves with a slight movement of the hand against the surface.

"How long did the trip last before your arrival at Khemet? "

"I don't know. Maybe eight or ten days... "

"In this case, the emissaries should have reached your village by now. If we imagine that you haven't made a detour to get other slaves back... "

"I guess so… "

"We will soon hear from your family. "

Straightening up suddenly, the teenager plunged his amethyst look into the purple one of his alter ego at the other end of the bath, frowning worriedly while asking:

"And what am I supposed to say to the ones of Jouno's and Teana's? "

"I… "

Nibbling his bottom lip, Atem looked away, embarrassed. Of course, he did not have the answer to that question. What was his double supposed to say exactly? How could he reasonably explain that he was the only survivor of unscrupulous slave traders?

"All things considered, I should better never go back to the village... "

Raising his head quickly, the Pharaoh frowned in his turn, trying to ignore the beating of his heart that had accelerated to the idea that the boy could stay with him forever.

"You shouldn't say that. We all have a place to go back. Yours is waiting for you too. "

"But I would be so ashamed... and then everyone will blame me... "

"But you are not responsible! "

"For the others, it's all the same! "

Exclaiming angrily, Heba turned back against the edge, turning his back to the sovereign who finally joined him, gently catching his face in his hands for them to face each other.

"Fine, so be it... let them hate you if it makes them happy. I would love to have your family here, in town. Thus, we would not be separated. "

Thin tears forming at the corners of his eyes, Heba nodded slowly, smiling softly as the young king caressed his cheeks with his thumbs.

Since the arrest of the two assassins who had entered the palace to kill the Pharaoh, the two young boys had become considerably closer.

Everything had obviously contributed to it. Their disturbing resemblance of which they were not thinking about anymore, their common passions, the fact that they have the same likes... the only thing that could really differentiate them being their deeply opposed personality. Heba, sweet and shy. Atem, confident and inflexible.

However, there were still some grey areas... Indeed, the teenager having not said anything to the sovereign about the fact of having attended the millennium trial even though he shouldn't have. And the latter stubbornly staying silent when it came to the affairs of the kingdom.

Not that he wanted to know everything... but far from being stupid, Heba knew that a bloodbath was going to be shed in Kerma, the small Nubian country incurring the wrath of the great Egypt led by the powerful Pharaoh protected by the three Egyptian Gods.

He was slightly worried that a new war was brewing between the two regions, which had been in conflict for centuries now.

Sometimes he wanted the hours he spent playing with Atem to last forever.

"What if we did another game? My jackals have not said their last word yet! I will manage to counter your strategy this time! " declared the young king, narrowing his eyes mischievously.

"I can't wait to see that! " the boy replied with a larger smile, preferring to forget his concerns for the moment.

_**##########** _

The scent of the little cumin breads placed on the ivory table floated in the air lightly, enveloping the sovereign's apartments with a family warmth as one rarely felt in such a grand palace.

Grabbing the dish with one hand while putting a grape of the bunch between his lips, the young king cut it in two equal parts, offering the other half to his game partner before settling on the reed chair,

half turning it over to keep an eye on the boy, this one sitting at the table, while he was working distractedly.

Thus lunching calmly, Atem began to think on the next step. He had no room for error, as much for his good as for the one of his people.

Since the Queen of Kerma had struck first, it was legitimate for him to retaliate in the same way. However, it could also mean the beginning of a confrontation whose stakes would be much greater.

For how many centuries had Egypt escaped the invasion of the Nubians? If these reprisals became the beginning of an upcoming war, then he was glad that Heba would soon have to go home.

To know that he was in safety, far away from the battlefields and from any direct threat, was enough to make him happy despite his heart pounding in his chest and his wet pupils.

And even if there was no conflict, he had no reason to be sad... He knew, no matter how far apart they were, that he would never feel alone again.

And if ever, one day, he was to lose everything he had, he also knew that he would have at least one thing left, one thing that fate could not take away from him.

Heba was the light that had saved him from his own darkness. He was the joy against his grief, the courage against his fear, the strength against his weaknesses.

He foolishly thought he had been saved, when in truth he was the one who saved the Pharaoh from himself.

And in return, like Isis who had taken care of Horus as a child, Atem had done the same with the teenager, making him his most sacred treasure, his most precious good.

Like the Zerzura oasis, lost in the middle of legends, he was a gift sent by the Gods that the young king would protect at the risk of his life if necessary.

A shy chuckle echoed in the room, cutting him off sharply into his thoughts, and he turned to the boy, widening his eyes in seeing the latter kneeled on the floor, having fun in making a cat drink a cup filled with a white liquid that he supposed to be milk.

"I see you met Sekhmet. " he said with a smile, getting up to take the feline, wearing a gold necklace, between his arms.

Caressing his grege fur with the tips of his fingers, the Pharaoh moved in the room until he reached his bed, on which he laid the demi-god, the latter instantly closing his olive eyes when it entered in contact with the mattress while stretching lazily.

"It had been missing for a few days, I wondered where it had gone. "

Heba shook his head at this thought, laughing.

"There are so many cats hanging around in this palace, how can you realize the disappearance of only one of them? " he questioned as he advanced to his "other me," tenderly scratching the animal's ear.

"It's easy, Sekhmet is the only one who comes in here. You'd think that all the others avoid the royal apartments. " Atem said, pouting.

"What do you mean? "

"I don't know. The doors could be wide open, and all the cats gathered in the hallway, that they wouldn't step at least one paw on the threshold. Sekhmet is the only one who has ever behaved differently. " explained the Pharaoh, shrugging his shoulders, himself puzzled.

"Maybe he wanted you to have some company. " the boy whispered, however too low for the sovereign to hear.

A guard posted outside entered suddenly after announcing himself, warning the young king that the council was waiting for him, and Atem offered a smile to his double before disappearing, promising with enthusiasm to return soon enough so that they could play a little before going to sleep.

Heba sighed slowly as the doors closed on the silhouette of the sovereign, letting himself fall nonchalantly against the bed and comforting the cat which had been afraid of a caress along its length.

Provided that this night at least, he does not have a nightmare...

_ **##########** _

Glittering gleams in the dark sky, the silver stars lit his way through the cold stone paths, making the darkness around him less frightening despite his insistence on refraining himself from breathing too hard for fear of being caught.

One step at a time, he moved forward, making as little noise as possible as his hand ran along the frozen wall in the hope of not getting lost in the maze of corridors of the palace.

There reigned a gloomy silence that deeply anguished him. As if all the inhabitants of the palace had suddenly ceased to exist. No sound was heard anymore. The maids did not go back and forth between their rooms and those of their masters, the high dignitaries did not feast in the dining room with the courtesans, there weren't even guards patrolling here and there, protecting the court and the Pharaoh.

At last, the burning lights of the torches placed at the entrance of the great gates appeared suddenly in the distance, and he smiled, looking relieved.

Accelerating the pace, he hurried to reach the surrounding wall on which he leaned with all his weight, before craning slightly forward to try to see the soldiers supposed to keep the gate.

But once again, they seemed to have vanished in the desert, leaving the heavy doors ajar, as if to facilitate his escape.

He frowned, uncertain. It was way too easy as if it was a frame-up. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward a bit and froze abruptly, hesitating. Then, determined, he crossed the remaining few meters, overtaking the symbolic border that separated him from the city.

Turning over quickly, in fear of being found, he breathed when he saw that nobody was pursuing him, and with a new impetus of courage, resumed his race towards freedom...

"I found you! "

The cry echoed loudly above him, and he let out a disappointed sigh as he raised his head to the ramparts of the palace, offering an amused smirk to the young king leaning casually on the latter, laughing.

"Yet we'd said, in the enclosure of the palace only! I didn't know you were such a poor loser! "

"It's already the fourth game I'm losing! How do you want me to have a chance to win if I have to hide in a place you know by heart! "

"All I retain from this pathetic speech, Heba, is that you're only a cheater! "

Bursting with laughter, the boy preferred to shrug his shoulders with offhandedness in the direction of his alter ego as a simple answer to his provocation.

He leaned negligently on the doorframe and looked away at the excited town, already awake despite the early hour.

Khepri was slowly appearing behind the houses, the warmth of its rays coming to lighten the surrounding landscape, and chasing away the remains of the darkness of the eve.

Somewhere in this city, and perhaps even beyond it, Jouno and Teana were now just pale copies of what they used to be. For, if their hearts continued tirelessly to beat in their breasts, their souls, now, could only be a memory fading away as time passed.

He, who was here, with people for whom he counted, belonging to this group who had helped him without asking anything in return, having fun, playing, living, breathing...

Wasn't he selfish? Wasn't he a monster?

In truth, he would have deserved all the insults the villagers would hurl to him back to Aldawminu. He, who strutted in cloths of silk and adorned himself with gold ornaments that could be enough to feed his village for ten years.

A warm hand suddenly came to rest on his shoulder and he jumped in turning toward its owner, blinking to chase the tears that had accumulated in the corner of his eyes, and which now flowed freely on his cheeks.

Going up along his neck, its darker colour contrasting with his caramel skin, the delicate hand made its way between his blond locks to caress them with tenderness, chasing them away from his field of vision.

"You were still thinking about them, didn't you? "

Shaking his head, Heba looked at the palm trees lining along the surrounding walls on each side of the big doors, feeling stupid to appear so fragile.

"I know I told you there was no way we could find them. After all, the people who engage in this kind of business are never native to the city where they do their affairs so not to have any problems with the authorities... "

Atem stopped in his explanations, feeling that the boy's attention escaped to him as he sank a little deeper into his depression.

"But... " he said, grabbing his chin between his fingers, raising his face to towards his own. "It did not stop me from looking anyway. "

The amethyst pupils of his double began to shine with a new radiance, and he continued on his impetus:

"That said, for the moment, I have no news to give you. "

"I'm grateful to you anyway for trying. " Heba muttered, his lips hardly stretching into a thin smile.

Again, the Pharaoh's hand slid against his lukewarm skin, his nails gently touching the outline of his jaw before moving away, making him shiver on the spot, to finally catching his palm against his, pressing it tightly as he began to walk slowly.

"Come on, let's go. I'm sure you must be hungry after running for hours through the entire palace. "

"You the one who proposed a hide and seek game even though it was still the night. "

"And it was you who couldn't go back to sleep after having another nightmare. I just wanted to take your mind off things. "

Heba bit his lip at these words while staring at the ground, embarrassed. It wasn't as if he, either, did not want these bad dreams to stop, if only to offer the Pharaoh a single night of respite.

But far from blaming him, the latter remained inexorably at his side, spending most of the night comforting him to the point of forgetting to sleep.

He felt guilty. To deprive the young king of sleep, of being so pathetically weak... Even if leaving meant to never meet again, then he was happy to no longer be such a nuisance for him.

"Don't worry too much about that. "

"Huh? "

As if reading his thoughts, the sovereign turned to the boy, a soft smile on his face. Squeezing his palm more firmly against his, he added:

"Do not worry about me. After what you've experienced, it doesn't surprise me that you make bad dreams every night. "

"How?! " Heba gasped, surprised.

"I don't know. You had that look... this glare in your eyes... the one that you have every time you reproach yourself something, so... The rest is just a simple deduction. " Atem explained, resuming his walk, crossing the hallways successively as the palace awoke with agitation.

"I shouldn't bother you that way. Maybe by assigning me another room... " replied the teenager, trying to look strong although the idea did not please him.

"Don't be ridiculous, I have no problem with you. And then, I have the impression that my presence appeases you, right? Well... it's just an assumption... "

Heba tilted his head to the side, curious; the sovereign suddenly forcing himself to look elsewhere, his cheeks flushed under the embarrassment, as if he were not in the habit to pronounce this kind of thing.

Chuckling without being able to stop himself, he put his hand to his mouth in a vain attempt to hide his giggle, both reassured and delighted.

"What's so funny?! " the Pharaoh said with annoyance, the discomfort making his tanned cheeks blushing a little more.

"N-Nothing at all! " the boy stammered with difficulty, unable to stop.

Finally, he could well enjoy these moments of joy, soon they would be nothing more than mirages in the amber sand of the Sahara...


	7. One More Lie & Truth Denied (Part One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanation of the Chapter:
> 
> -The kingdom of Ma (abbreviation in Ancient Egyptian of Meshwesh) is the ancient name given to Libya. At the time, it was only a small confederation of several Berber tribes. However, their king is totally fictional.
> 
> -(*) Cyanide is a very powerful poison if consumed. It is further described as having a sweet almond aftertaste.

Despite the cheering of the crowd, Atem put a knee down, short-winded. Gladiator sword in hand, its tip planted in the ground to help him get up, he lifted himself in a final effort, fine droplets of sweat sliding along his forehead to crash into the space between the hollow of his shoulder and his neck.

The sound of a cymbal resonated in a deafening echo, and he tightened his grip on the weapon as he rushed forward. The two blades clashed forcefully in a shower of metal sparks, all accompanied by a shrill sound.

At each of his inspirations, a new blow was carried, always faster, always more powerful, before the enemy retreated, leaving him barely enough time to take a regular breath back.

The shouting around him was becoming frenzied and he gave a faint smile without any real apparent joy. Raise your head, look proud, be invincible. His father's words kept ringing in his mind, making him dizzy as he tried to show himself worthy of them.

A new volley of blows assaulted him and the sword flew up into the air under his surprised gaze, falling down a few meters behind him.

Reacting instinctively, the Pharaoh escaped from his opponent's salvos with a roll on the side, hitting his back with the help of his foot and recovering at the same time the sabre that the dark-skinned man lost in his fall.

Wiping the trickle of blood that coloured his lips with an enraged gesture, the latter narrowed his blue ocean eyes, the dazzling sun blocking his eyesight, and groping behind him, he reclaimed the weapon of the sovereign, attacking him at the second his fingers touched the grip.

Atem arched, blocking the blade with the curved outline of his own, turning around himself to send the enemy away, catch in his own momentum.

Once more, the ovations resonated, more thunderous, and he stood still in a defensive position, his hands clammy, his head throbbing at the rhythm of his heartbeats.

The light-haired man approached slowly, dominating him to his full height, casting a veil of shadow above him that made him shudder.

A predatory smile stretched the contours of his dark beard, revealing a precarious dentition, and the young king forced himself to stare at his gladiator sword in his opponent's hands for fear that this vision would make him nauseous.

Anew, he took a deep breath, before attacking, the sound of the metal striking against each other resonating in the air again.

Eventually, the man wore himself out in making his weapon swing here and there to try to touch the sovereign, and the mouth of this one twisted into a mocking grin.

Mowing down the sword, he send the pommel of his sabre in the protruding ribs of the enemy, forcing the latter to bend under the pain while the Pharaoh took the opportunity to send, with all that was left of his force, his elbow between his two eyes, a sound of broken bone reaching his ears despite the hubbub of the delirious crowd.

A scream of agony sounded and his opponent collapsed to the ground, holding his bloody face in his dirty hands.

The sound of the cymbal tinkled for the second time, and his trembling fingers let out the sabre that had become too heavy, his body engulfed with spasms as he tried to catch his breath back, in vain.

The audience members in front of him rose from their seats, exclaiming with excitement, and a group of very distinct people detached themselves more and more clearly from them, joining him in the centre of the arena.

"Bravo! Bravo! What a fight! I'm dumbfounded by your warrior skills, Great One! "

Unable to answer, his throat dry and his breathing still panting, the sovereign just briefly nodded, watching his interlocutor suspiciously.

"Well, it was a real clash of the Titans. Your champion knew how to give a hard time to our Pharaoh, who is yet the best of our fighters. "

Seth's words made him gnash his teeth under the annoyance, and he gave his cousin a furtive look, silently intimating him to shut up.

"It was a good distraction. Should we have something to eat now? "

_A distraction!?_

Pursing his lips, Atem curbed his desire to take back the sword which was resting on the ground to thrust it into the stomach of the person facing him, preferring to let him disappear into the palace with his priests, the acclamations of the crowd, mainly composed of the nobles of the court, suddenly decreasing as it began to disperse, following the footsteps of the wearers of the millennial items and their guests.

Sighing, the young king was prepared to do the same when a face suddenly appeared before him, two hands handing him a cotton cloth, a small smile stretching his pink lips.

"Heba... "

"Congratulations on your victory. Are you alright? "

The boy's warm, worry-filled voice made him smile, and grabbing the cloth to pass it against his sweaty, naked torso, he answered confidently:

"Yes, don't worry about me. I'm used to this kind of stupid show of force. "

"Is it why you wanted to fight yourself rather than letting the place to one of the soldiers of the royal guard? "

"Although I have proved my worth to my people, I'm still young for the other lands. A king, weak, ignorant, and inexperienced... So I also have to prove my worth to the others too. To avoid conflicts, wars, or struggles for power... "

"And I, who didn't stop complaining when my mother mollycoddled me too much... "

Bursting with laughter, Atem ran a hand through the multicoloured highlights of his double, dishevelling them with amusement.

"Having said that, I will refrain well from proving anything to this fool of Hussein. "

"Don't you like the King of Ma? "

"He plays the great lords here, but he's just a cruel despot who wriggles like a suffocating fish out of water when he gets upset. "

The comparison caused a mocking chuckle to the teenager that he shared joyfully, the temporary enthusiasm of this moment allowing him to wane the pressure.

"Let's go. I still have to make a change of clothing. "

"Yes. "

_**##########** _

Dressed in a short sapphire blue tunic with golden ends, a Shendyt of the same colour fitting snugly his waist, and an amaranth cloak covering his shoulders, Atem slumped slightly in his seat, mechanically fixing the oriental dancers wriggling in front of his eyes and those of his guests.

Undulating with the rhythm of the music, the lute and the lyre resonating in harmony with the sistrum, the flutes, the drums and the harp, they swirled around the table with agility.

Large silver bracelets on their wrists that clinked every time their fingers drew imaginary circles in the air, and large gemstones necklaces hopping around their necks, they wore turquoise robes composed of a half-open skirt on the side, revealing the ivory skin of their legs at each of their movements. Linked to the latter by a simple mesh of Lycra with motifs of gold and carmine reed leaves, their bras offered a clear view of the neckline of their breasts.

A show that the King of Ma seemed to particularly like, remarked the Pharaoh without being really surprised. A big smile stuck on his face, he was clapping in his hands at the sound of the clappers and tambourines that resonating in the banquet hall, shamelessly admiring the curves of the young women, with jet-black hair and kohl painted eyelids, moving a little too close to him.

Sighing tiredly, the young king grabbed his glass of wine, soaking his lips in the burgundy liquid for a few seconds before suddenly spitting out the contents, the music suddenly stopping under his repeated suffocations while the people seated at the table turned a surprised look towards him.

"What is it about?! " cried Hussein with irritation, seeming annoyed at having been disturbed during his "contemplation".

"Majesty!? " Mahad said, a hint of worry in his voice, getting up hurriedly.

Coughing still a little while straightening up, the sovereign held out a hand towards the magician, summoning him to sit down while he himself was standing up, disappearing towards the back of the room and whispering:

"Excuse me for a moment. "

Sinking into the main hallway, Atem suddenly stopped at the threshold of an antechamber, holding onto the wall to his left, his nails contracting on the cold stone.

"What's going on? "

Raising his head, his purple pupils clinging to the cobalt ones of his sacred guardian, the Pharaoh frowned before moving his gaze to the banquet hall, murmuring softly:

"Was there a specific reason for the coming of King Hussein, Shada? "

"It seems to me that this was just a courtesy call. Why this question, O Pharaoh? " replied the priest, intrigued.

"And the wine? This is well a present from him, right? " continued the young king.

"Indeed. Do you suspect His Highness of any wrong intentions? " asked the bearer of the millennium key, understanding the thought process of the sovereign, as well as his previous reaction at the table.

"I don't know. But I noticed that the jar with which I was served was different from the other guests. And there was something like an almond aftertaste when I took a sip  **(*)**. "

Frowning in his turn, Shada suddenly stiffened, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I did not feel anything like it in mine. Should we ask the guard to arrest him? " he questioned, though he already seemed to know what was going to be said to him.

"Without proofs? No... I do not want to risk a diplomatic incident if I'm wrong. " declared Atem, closing his eyes, sighing slowly.

"Your Majesty has been instructed since childhood to recognize all the forms of poisons of this world. I doubt that your instinct deceives you so easily. " Shada pleaded kindly. "However, if anything had happened to you, I'm surprised that the millennium necklace has not warned Isis before. "

"Nothing is flawless, Shada. For the moment, let's that aside. If ever other events come to confirm my suspicions, then we will intervene. "

"As you like. "

"Go, I'll join you right away. "

"Very well. "

Striding away while leaving the Pharaoh behind him, Shada left the dark corridor to return to the illuminated room, resuming his place around the banquet table.

Unable to stop himself, he grabbed his own cup of wine, twirling the blood-red liquid inside, carefully examining it, before finally looking back at the dancing girls in front of him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mahad lean toward him quietly to bring his thin lips to his ear, saying in a whisper:

"What happened? "

"Nothing that concerns us for now. " the priest just told the magician as Atem re-entered into the room under the clamour of the guests.

_**##########** _

The doors slammed quietly but that did not stop him from hearing them clearly. Slowly opening his eyelids, he straightened up on the bed, his gaze automatically heading towards the twinkling glow of the oil lamp that the Pharaoh was holding between his fingers.

"Sorry. I woke you up. " whispered the latter, a sorry smile on his lips.

Narrowing his eyes, the boy stared at the lantern for a moment before bowing his head, his hands catching the blanket as he answered in a dreary voice:

"I was not sleeping. "

Puzzled, Atem advanced towards the bed, casually placed the candle next to it and came to settle on the side, questioning:

"Really? Why that? Did you have another nightmare? "

"I did not get a wink of sleep yet. " indicated his double in the same tone, slightly worrying the sovereign.

"I'm sorry you could not have dinner with us. Believe me, it was my dearest wish, but if our guests had seen you, they would have asked themselves questions. Our resemblance is far too obvious. "

"I do not worry about that. I understand very well. " Heba went on, his amethyst pupils now drawn to the window, scanning the grey clouds maliciously hiding the moon.

"Are you sure you're alright…? Anyway... it's late; we should just go to sleep. "

Pronouncing these words, the young king got up, circling the bed to settle on the free side, burrowing under the thin silk blanket and resting his head on the pillow. But the teenager at his side remained stubbornly prostrate, not making the slightest movement.

"Heba... " called the Pharaoh, biting his lower lip, this time sincerely troubled.

"I was wondering... " declared his game partner suddenly.

"Yes? "

"What will happen next? "

"What do you mean? "

Taking a sitting position to face the boy, the sovereign tilted his head to the side, uncertain.

"As you have noticed before, I'm much more aware of what surrounds me than one might think at first glance. I know very well what's happening with the Kerma Kingdom... I know a war is coming. "

"You shouldn't worry about such a thing... " tried to reassure him the young king, taking one of his double's hands between his owns.

"But it's actually concerned me! " Heba cried back with authority, stepping away from his alter ego.

His eyes veiled with sadness, Atem moved back a little, covering his face between his fingers while blowing.

"I was there… "

"What? "

Frowning, he turned his attention back to the teenager, who murmured weakly:

"I was there... I saw everything... "

"Wha- "

"The millennium trial... "

Eyes rolling back in horror, Atem rushed out of the bed, shaking feverishly. Turning suddenly to the still amorphous boy, he shouted, being beside himself:

"I TOLD YOU TO STAY HERE! "

Holding his breath, he patiently waited for his double to give him any excuse, but receiving only a silence in response, he paced up and down all the more in the bedroom before finally getting out, standing against the edge of the balcony to calmly get a grip on himself.

Clutching his cloak around his shoulders to fight the particularly cool air of the night, he turned around again as he felt a presence behind him, and plunged his purple eyes into the ones of his game partner.

"I didn't intend to disobey... I don't know if you're mad at me because I've seen something I should not have or if you're just scared that I could be afraid of you... but if this is the second option, know that I wouldn't have become that close to you if that had been the case... " related the teenager, continuing to fixe his alter ego faultlessly.

"I still haven't heard an excuse... " the Pharaoh simply said, coldly.

"I-I beg you to forgive me... Your M-Majesty... "

Remaining motionless for a few seconds, the sovereign finally sighed tiredly, rubbing his eyes with his fingers as he leaned against the frozen edge.

"Don't call me like that... please... "

Getting closer to his "other me," Heba nervously twisted the sides of his tunic, adding in a whisper:

"Atem... what does a battle look like when the millennium items are involved? "

Abandoning all attempts at lying, the young king let himself slide to the ground and divulged with trembling lips:

"A massacre…? "

Under the stiffening of his double, he inhaled highly, saying a little lost:

"What does a battle look like when one camp benefits from the use of magic? When it can predict any attack in advance? When it can crush an entire army simply by annihilating the minds of the soldiers? When it can summon so powerful monsters from the Shadow Realm that they can destroy the enemy with one destructive breath? "

He waited, once again, the slightest intervention of the boy, but resumed on his momentum when the latter continued to withdraw into silence.

"Yet that's not what I'm trying to accomplish... I don't want to be the instigator of such a thing... And at the same time, I can't sit idly by when another kingdom is targeting my life. There is never a good solution, never a fair compromise that does not end in the blood. It's a thinking game as well as a game of logic: if my opponent makes a move against me, then I have to do the same. No, I must be much more drastic, so he can understand that I'm stronger than him. "

"Like your father in the past? "

Jumping, Atem looked up at the teenager, watching him sadly a minute before bowing his head, ashamed.

"I was just a baby at that time, but I've heard my parents talk about it many times afterwards. This war that the Pharaoh Aknamkanon miraculously won while the enemy was cornering him at the very doors of his kingdom. And Egypt... the Great Egypt that ends up terrorizing to the Phoenician merchants because of this bloody story... "

"I'm not my father! "

Yelling these words while standing up suddenly, the Pharaoh spread his arms on both sides of his body, distraught.

"That's what I want to avoid! I don't want a new war! And if ever it turns out to be inevitable, I don't want to use the millennium items to win it! "

"Liar… "

"Wh-?! "

Surprised, the sovereign frowned again, not understanding. Flinching, Heba faced his alter ego, seeming rather annoyed.

"You play with the enemy! You impregnate yourself with this monstrous past, and from the top of your throne, without doing anything; you challenge him to dare to attack you! Of course, it's a thinking game! To whoever will take the most risk, even though you know that you are the only one who can win! "

Pursing his lips, the young king snuck back inside his apartments, stopping in the middle of the playroom when his game partner resumed.

"I do believe that you want to avoid a new war from happening, but in the same way that you played with the nerves of these two assassins that day, you play with those of Queen Katimala today! You gather your troops, but you don't cross Kerma. No, you just stop at the border between the two countries and wait for your opponent's next move! "

"Ho-How?! " stammered the Pharaoh, stunned.

"I don't need to spy on the Council meetings to know how you act. You play games with me the same way! The best strategy is the trap! "

Letting out a bitter laugh, Atem entered the hall room, and sitting on one of the chairs surrounding the ivory table, he waited until the boy joined him, confessing without any more ulterior motives.

"You're right... and I guess it's a very unfair way to play... But as the king of Egypt, I can't afford the slightest mistake. "

"You don't have to be a scary king to govern well. Not threatening your enemies isn't a sign of weakness. On the contrary, there is no wiser than one who maintains peace without ever warring. "

"Heba... There is no wiser than you who are not even king... "

Chuckling lightly, the tension slowly subsiding, Heba forced the sovereign to stand up and wrapping his arms around him, he whispered against his ear:

"Rely on me in this kind of moments. Let me help you to bear your sufferings as you help me to bear mine. "

"You don't know what you're talking about... " Atem claimed, tightening his grip on the teenager. "You're helping me so much already. Without you, I would have a long time ago yielded to the darkness of my soul. "

"In this case... " stated his double, freeing himself a little to put his forehead against the one of the Pharaoh, closing his eyelids. "I will hold your hand every time the shadows will seek to engulf you. You'll just have to call my name... "

"Don't doubt for one second that I would not do it. "


	8. One More Lie & Truth Denied (Part Two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanation of the Chapter:
> 
> -Yes, at the time of Atem (-1000 BC, according to the author), in Israel, reigned the famous King David. :)

Killing bleakness submerging this innocent world, sweeping away the corpses of men now nameless, simple souls too quickly mowed down in this war of the damned. In a quest for ridiculous vengeance, bringing only absurd suffering, they were the hope that, engulfed, brought infinite light. Now, imperceptible gleams in the darkness, they are desperately trying to escape from these cursed abysses, their hearts gnawed by hatred for what will last an eternity...

Delightful pleasures of conquest, having climbed the echelon of torture, and the love that never endures, corrupted by what is nothing more than an immense emptiness; clemency and compassion no longer existing, no more than the indulgency.

They are of those sentenced. Brigands sacrificed in the name of peace, found guilty without having been the subject of a trial, murdered by this king without mercy, pretending to be ignorant while in the shadows is created a life of resentment.

Child haunted by the ghosts of his past; gets lost on the border between truth and lies. And as grows this desire for bloodshed that will free him from these shackles, in death burn, that vow of destruction.

Slowly opening his eyelids, Heba blinked several times to chase away the remnants of sleep.

These nightmares, now an integral part of his nights, seemed not to affect him as much as before, offering him much calmer awakenings. And although he still suffered much of their content, he was relieved not to disturb the Pharaoh's nights, allowing him to sleep all the way without interruption.

The sun was barely rising on the horizon, emerging discreetly between the sand dunes while the warmth of its rays already warmed the icy stone walls of the palace. An immense blue sky stretched above it, in an azure colour similar to that of the Aegean Sea; without clouds, its brightness dazzled anyone who looked up at it.

A purr sounded near the boy, and instinctively recognizing it, he turned his head to his right, smiling at the cat lying on his shoulder, rubbing it energetically with the tip of its muzzle with the obvious purpose of waking him up for good. Standing up in a sitting position, he grabbed the demi-god between his arms, caressing it gently while looking around him with perplexity.

_Yet it's only dawn..._

Doubtful, the teenager went out of bed to walk in the apartments of the young king, inspecting each room carefully in hope of discovering a clue that would tell him where the ruler had gone so early.

Releasing slightly his grip on the cat, he pouted, opening his mouth to ask a question he knew it could not be answered.

"And you, Sekhmet, would you know where Atem is? "

Oddly enough, however, the feline writhed between the teenager's arms at this demand, escaping abruptly to land with agility on the ground, and crossing with incredible speed the entrance of the ajar doors to escape into the corridors of the royal residence.

"Ah! Sekhmet! Come back! "

Running after it, Heba ran down the stairs of the first floor, pursuing the animal in a maze of antechambers he did not remember having already visited, struggling to follow his four-legged companion and jostling several people in his path, stopping just a few seconds to apologize properly before leaving again at full speed under their stunned eyes.

"But where are you going like this?! "

Out of breath, the boy slowed his pace, hesitating for a moment as he walked along a wide dark alley, discerning, though with difficulty, the busts of dozens of pharaohs that bordered it on each side of the walls.

Soon, however, a halo of light unfolded at the other end of the room, and his pupils focused on the shapes of the hairball which entered there in a self-assured way.

Inhaling greatly, the teenager also crossed this path that led apparently outward, squinting under the intense glow of the dawn that rose the celestial space, putting a hand above them the time to be completely used to it.

The landscape before of him defined more clearly and a smile unconsciously stretched his lips while wonder froze him on the spot. There, in front of him, lay a gigantic garden of plants and flowers with dozens of shimmering colours, resting over a bed of grey granite frescoed with colourful geometric shapes.

And in the centre, surrounded by obelisks engraved with ancient hieroglyphics, stood a large rectangular marble basin filled with cyan blue water. An alabaster fountain representing a cobra with a gaping mouth rested in the middle of the latter, white jasmine petals floating gently on the glistening surface.

Imposing imperial green date palms, bordering the outer walls, completed this magnificent picture.

Heba moved feverishly through this multicoloured paradise, passing the knotted indigo curtains that delimited the entrance, and finally noticed that the demi-god had suddenly stopped at the edge of the pool, lazily stretching near a dark-skinned young man who soaked his feet with amusement.

"Atem! " he exclaimed, all of a sudden recognizing the young king, surprised that the cat had driven him exactly where he wished as if it had understood him.

Turning suddenly, the sovereign offered an amazed look to his double, finally perceiving the presence of the cat with grege fur a few meters from him, the animal almost mockingly shaking his tail in the air.

Tilting his head, the Pharaoh finally smiled kindly and raised a hand to signal to the boy to join him, leaning back on his hands while watching the hairball slowly get sleepy.

Approaching, Heba sat next to his alter ego, leaning his back against one of the pillows placed carelessly against the pillars and, raising his cream tunic until his knees to prevent it from getting wet, he dipped his feet in the cool water, the gold bracelets wrapping his ankles shining brightly under the turquoise liquid.

"You easily found me. " indicated Atem, anchoring his gaze into his game partner's, gratifying him with a new smile.

"I was helped. " simply declared the teenager, mysteriously.

"And this night, were you able to rest? " the sovereign asked with a worried pout, frowning.

Pursing his lips, the boy ended up sighing, shaking his head from right to left before answering, embarrassed:

"Yes... I slept without interruptions... "

"I see... in this case, so much the better... "

A slight silence imposed itself as they both looked away, admiring Khepri rose above their heads with serenity.

Suddenly, the young king stood up and walked along the basin for a few meters before turning to his double, drawing his attention.

"I have a favour to ask you. A huge favour... "

"What is it? " Heba asked, raising an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Last night, I agreed to play according to your rules. However, I still believe that it's much easier to know the intentions of his opponent by pushing him straight into a trap... " declared the Pharaoh, a strange glow twinkling in his purple eyes.

"I'm not sure to follow you. " the teenager said uncertainly.

"If we join forces. If we both play with the same hand, it's clear that our combined strategies will become unbeatable. My traps, but elaborated by you, in such a way that they are harmless but equally effective. "

"That is to say? "

"Since days I know that King Hussein is preparing something against me, and I'm starting to get impatient in waiting that he makes a wrong move. "

"So you want to trap him... "

"So that he reveals himself in full light! That's right! "

"And how do you intend to do that? "

"By letting me be killed, of course! "

**_##########_ **

The staging seemed straight out of an old oriental tale. A set of decisions taken without his consent and in which he found embarked despite himself.

Biting his lower lip forcefully, Heba squirmed in all directions, embarrassed, while maids were arranging an indigo cloak around his shoulders.

"It will never work!. " he exclaimed vehemently to the address of the sovereign posted a little further against the canopy bed.

"Don't be ridiculous. How could this fail? This is our combined game. "

"Everything is not just a matter of game, Atem! "I-I mean, M-Majesty," he corrected himself, feeling the look full of reproaches of Seth at his side.

Sweeping away the self-correction of his partner with a wave of his hand, the Pharaoh crossed his arms against his chest, turning his head to the rest of his priests gathered around the ivory table.

"Did each of you understand their role? "

"Yes, my Pharaoh. " acquiesced slowly Isis, a soft smile on her face with regard to the boy whose face was taking more and more reddening colours.

"All will go well, Your Majesty. " Karim added as he advanced towards the bearer of the millennium necklace, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"All will not go well! " the teenager was indignant again, more than ever bored. "How am I supposed to do everything you ask me to do?! "

"I'll teach you everything you need to know, and Shimon will be by your side all the time, so you really do not have to worry. " tried to reassure him the young king, smiling as well.

"Be sure that I won't leave you. " announced the grand vizier, approaching the double of the sovereign.

"Grandpa... " whispered the latter with a voice filled with anxiety, and the old man did his best not to feel offended while the rest of the assembly was discreetly laughing at the nickname the adviser was now carrying.

"I keep thinking that all of this is ridiculous and useless. What's more, it's an insult to the Pharaoh himself. " Seth said, tightening his grip on his millennium rod, the features of his face twitching as he let his irritation take over.

"There is no better way to discover the hidden intentions of the King of Ma. "

"My Dear Nephew has definitely lost his mind, and you aren't very far from following the same path if you continue like this, Mahad! " suddenly began to relate Aknadin, in agreement with his son. "The Pharaoh's position is one of the most prestigious! What would the Israelites think if an impostor sat on the throne of David! "

"Father... "

"This has nothing to do, uncle... And you know it very well! " lectured Atem, frowning, getting closer to the boy, always in the care of the maids, almost in an attempt to protect him from the high priest's cold words.

"It seems obvious that we won't be able to fulfil our plan if we continue to be in conflict this way. " Shada explained with kindness, seeking to calm tensions. "Seth... you know as well as all of us that it would be totally foolish to lay charges against His Excellency unless we have strong evidence... and that's not the case. In other words, we must reveal his hidden schemes to everyone in other ways. "

"What if we are wrong? What if King Hussein is innocent of any crime? " Seth asked, although he himself didn't seem to believe in those words.

"I wouldn't stand in front of you with this idea in mind if I wasn't sure of myself. " Atem revealed, looking confident. And all the priests, Aknadin excluded, nodded, convinced.

"If my brother was here... He would be scandalized by what you're about to do. " the wearer of the millennium eye revealed angrily, pushing his son and the grand vizier to react instinctively.

"Father! "

"Aknadin! "

"So be it..." the sovereign sighed, shrugging his shoulders casually. "That I become a disappointment for my father who observes me from the Kingdom of the Dead. If Horus and Osiris support me, then I don't care about the opinion of the non-living. "

Stepping back, Heba closed his eyes, a long shiver of anxiety running down his spine.

What was that familiar feeling he was feeling right now? This air of defiance that hovered in the room, as before, when he stood before the Pharaoh, desecrating with his feet the tomb of his father... This face... Those white mid-length hairs almost grey and those lavender eyes filled with hate...

Who was this man he now discerned more clearly in his mind? He who haunted his dreams every night, leading him to a truth which was desperately seeking to be erased from memories.

As if, again, the Shadow Game resumed...


	9. Uncompromising & Demise of a King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations of the Chapter:
> 
> -(*) Edom is the ancient name, Hebrew but used by other civilizations, of the Red Sea, located in the East of the Egyptian continent.
> 
> -A reference to a tribe of the people of Ma having crossed the Egyptian lands peacefully to settle near the city of Per Bastet is made in this chapter. This event really happened, however, the historical dates certainly do not correspond to those of my fiction. :)
> 
> -Anhour is the goddess of war in Egyptian mythology. As for Anubis, he is the guardian of the gates of the kingdom of the dead. To receive protection from him means not to be killed in combat.

"Straighten your head. That's it, like that. And walk a little more slowly, don't forget that everything you tread on belongs to you. "

"It's not going to be true... "

"Stop grumbling like that and focus a little! "

Sighing tiredly, Heba returned an angry glance at the grand vizier who had just spoken to him and stopped abruptly in his tracks, leaning back nonchalantly at the doorframe of the balcony before folding his arms over his chest, pouting.

"I have enough! I refuse to continue this playacting any longer! "

"Well, here is the tone that befitting your rank! "

The boy got irritated a little more by the remark of the sacred guardian and the sovereign at his side gave a faint smile, almost as in agreement with his cousin.

 _Really, they all gang up against me..._  he thought, biting the inside of his cheek, annoyed.

"It's enough, Seth. Leave him in peace. Shimon, why not take a break? "

"As you please, O Pharaoh. "

While watching the old man sit on one of the chairs of the Council table, enjoying a sip of an infusion of Karkadeh, the teenager half turned towards the young king and his priest, pursing his lips in anticipation.

"What will happen once His Highness will be discovered? "

"If it concerned you, you would have been informed a long time ago! " replied the bearer of the millennium rod patronizingly.

"No... " lectured Atem, putting a hand on his eldest's shoulder. "Since he's the accomplice of our next actions, I think he has the right to know. Anyway, it's not like I can hide anything from him... " he clarified, offering a knowing smile at his double who hastened to smile sweetly in return.

Then, shifting from the wall against which he was leaning, the latter stepped towards the centre of the room, attentive.

"I still don't know what are the motives or even the involvement of the King of Ma... "

"There is more than one reason to want to make an assassination attempt on another monarch. " the adviser indicated as Seth joined him around the table.

"But Hussein isn't bold enough to commit a coup d'état or anything else against a kingdom as big and powerful as Egypt. " the latter continued, sweeping the air with his hand casually.

"This means that he tries to harm me either for a personal reason, any affront that I or my father would have committed against him... " explained at first the Pharaoh before being suddenly cut by the former holder of the millennium key.

"Which had never happened. " he commented, sure of himself, his slightly piercing voice proving his dissatisfaction with such accusations.

"Either someone else pulls the strings with the obvious intention of using King Hussein as a pawn, or even as a scapegoat. " resumed the sovereign, more seriously.

"The enemy of my enemy is my ally... " whispered the teenager in a breath, attracting the surprised look of the priest and the adviser.

"Have you become great strategist now? " the bearer of the rod questioned mockingly, raising an eyebrow.

"If only you knew how right you are! " declared the young king with aplomb. "Heba really has nothing to envy to General Neheb, be certain of that! "

"Don't take it the wrong way, Dear Cousin, but don't you think that you put him on a too high pedestal? "

"You shouldn't underestimate him, Seth. " related Atem, amused, barely being able to stop roaring with laughter as he leaned on the back of his chair at the Council table. "I have noticed several times that how sharp-minded he is. "

"Really...? " enunciated the sacred guardian with exaggerated slowness, not in the least impressed by the sovereign's words.

"Well, please Heba, show them what you're capable of... " stated the Pharaoh, trying his best to hide his hilarity.

"I-I... It's not, I mean... "

"Do we really have time for that? " Shimon emitted, seeming bored by the turn of events.

 _There we go again...!_  he complains mentally, not being an admirer of this game of cat-and-mouse that the Pharaoh and his cousin were playing on many occasions.

"Come on, Shimon, aren't you curious? Tell us, then, O great strategist of the village of Aldawminu, who would have the greatest interest in using His Excellency as a vulgar puppet? " Seth ordered, a disdainful snigger crossing his lips.

"I-It's not like I know an-anything about politics... " stammered the boy hesitantly, intimidated.

"That, I do not doubt it... " sighed the old man, disillusioned.

"B-But given the cu-current situation of the country... the-the only one who could benefit from such an act would be Queen Katimala... "

Surprising the priest and the adviser by his implacable logic, who leaned forward to listen a little more carefully, Heba continued his tirade:

"I-I imagine that a temporary alliance between Ma and Kerma would weaken the Pharaoh's troops... A-And if they achieve their aims, splitting Egypt in two wouldn't be a big deal. A-After all, the-the Nubians have been seeking to invade us for centuries, and-and the-the Meshwesh has never hidden their desire to enlarge their country by the invasion of enemies lands. "

Suddenly collapsing on his throne with a tinkling laugh, Atem was delighted by the faces the grand vizier and the bearer of the millennium rod, now utterly taken aback, their pupils observing dumbfoundedly his double.

"He's a real fount of knowledge, is not it Shimon? "

"Without no doubt, Your Majesty... " admitted the old man, still speechless.

"I told you so. Knowing this, there is nothing surprising that I have so much trouble winning when I play against him. "

"It isn't easy for me neither...! " revealed Heba, offering a shy smile to the sovereign who returned it to him immediately, replying with derision:

"I hope so, otherwise it wouldn't be so entertaining! "

Closing his eyes for a second, the sacred high priest sighed and shaking his head from side to side as a sign of defeat, got up quickly before putting a hand in his turn on the shoulder of the teenager who abruptly jumped at this gesture.

"Let's get back to your learning. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you because I didn't teach you well enough how to act. Me alive, I will not soil my name with such a fault. "

Sharing a sweet smile with his adviser, Atem nodded kindly to his game partner, leaving him in the expert hands of his cousin.

_**##########** _

A shower of stars was flitting through the skies, travelling during thousands of miles to finally crash into the depths of sand dunes or the deep-water of the oases, leaving behind glittering dust trails, silver-grey on an infinite navy blue background.

Atem observed this starry view without really seeing it, half-plunged in his thoughts. There were too many things to take into account, too many risks to calculate, to be able to rave about the miracle of the divine powers clashing against each other.

Sighing, he left himself fall down on the steps of the palace, putting a tired look at the whole courtyard, empty at this hour. Everyone was enjoying the show in the royal gardens, feasting while listening to the storytellers spouting their whimsical nonsense.

He had no desire to participate in these idiocies. He was a God among mankind and a man among Gods, his concerns as well as his interests differed from the rest of the common people. For him, Pharaoh at the head of a country even larger than the sea of Edom (*), every day was a fight. Much more when you were a young man of just sixteen.

"Atem. "

The voice that resonated behind him was both soft and firm, a hint of concern making it vibrate in the highs.

Turning slowly, the ruler smiled at the young woman now standing in front of him, her fine curves hiding Mana's shy figure, this one clinging to the skirt of the priestess's dress like a frightened child.

"Isis. "

"Don't you want to join us? " murmured the magician, showing a rare restraint.

"Unfortunately, I know all these old tales by heart. I'm not interested in hearing them again. And I can just as well admire the skies from here. "

"Even if it seems that you have no interest in them? "

Overlooking the young king with her invisible shadow at this late hour, Isis left the girl, preferring to look up at the shower of shooting stars, her hands clasped close to her chest.

"It's sometimes good to empty one's mind, not to think of anything... "

"I will follow this advice once all our problems will have found their resolutions. "

"There will always have a conflict to settle, a plot to thwart... " the young woman pointed out, closing her eyes. "It will be impossible to continue doing so if you run yourself ragged. "

"Isis' right! Come have fun with us! " exclaimed the little priestess in the making, suddenly more cheerful.

"We have guests, Mana! I cannot be as unruly as I usually am... " replied the Pharaoh, bored.

"Just enjoy the show as you would if you had been alone. " the wearer of the millennium necklace emitted, smiling tenderly at the sovereign who got up, dusting his clothes while answering:

"I'll try. "

Then stopping suddenly in his tracks as he joined the magician still motionless near the entrance to the royal residence, he exclaimed enthusiastically:

"That's it! "

"My Pharaoh? " said Isis with astonishment.

"I know how to force Hussein's hand! "

"You mean, to push him to attack you? "

"Yes. And I'm going to need you, Mana... "

"Me? "

Sharing a surprised glance, the priestess and the young girl turned it to the sovereign, as if trying to read him.

A dark smile stretching his lips, Atem seemed lost in his thoughts again, the Pharaoh giving way to the king of games, his strategy already set in his mind.

_**##########** _

"It would have been unwelcome on our part not to wish you a safe return to your homeland without a great feast. "

"Great One, I am honoured... "

Barely bowing his head in gratitude, Hussein greeted the young king facing him, comfortably seated on his throne.

"Egypt boasts itself about its sense of hospitality. I would commit an affront to my country if I did not respect its traditions. " answered Atem, amused. "Thus, I have also prepared Games to entertain us and open up our appetite. "

"Majesty, you are too good. "

"Do not be ridiculous. It's the least I can do to thank our Meshwesh ally. You travelled a long way to see us, and all for a simple state visit. "

"Well... If you insist so much... I am impatient to admire your efforts. "

"And I am impatient to impress you thanks to them, Highness. "

"We will see that. "

Ending his sentence with a chuckle, Hussein bowed again and took his leave, returning to the apartments assigned to him.

Something, however, made him stop in the middle of the hall, and he listened carefully as two men approached.

"Are the garrisons settled? " the taller one asked, a leather breastplate covering his short garnet-coloured tunic and his caftan clinched with gold filaments.

"Yes, my general. " the second man said, a bronze armour wrapping his chest.

"Good. Are they informed of the situation? "

"Yes. As soon as His Majesty gives the order, the troops will besiege the city. "

"It's excellent. Make sure the messenger is ready. "

"Yes, General Neheb! "

"Per Bastet will soon be rid of its invaders ..."

With a quick wave of his hand, Hussein invited his courtiers to resume the walk, hurrying to avoid crossing the two soldiers who were slowly beginning to reach them.

Narrowing his eyes, the king of Ma turned a little to their direction, observing them discreetly while continuing to move away, dull anger distorting the features of his face.

"Your Excellency... " whispered one of the monarch's followers with some nervousness. Isn't Per Bastet the name of the city where the West Tribe settled? "

"Yes! They have peacefully crossed the Egyptian lands! How does this brat dare to attack the Meshwesh people?! " the King of Ma furiously replied. "I'll get him for that! Salem, start the preparations! "

"Yes, Highness. "

_**##########** _

"Well, I think you're ready now. "

Shifting a few steps backwards, the Pharaoh admired his double with a satisfied look.

Dressed in a vanilla-coloured tunic, a cobalt-blue Shendyt clasping his waist and an indigo cape covering his shoulders, Heba slowly turned to the mirror on his right, watching his reflection and the one of the Pharaoh wearing the same clothes as him.

Wasn't it there a farce of the Gods? If it had not been several weeks since he was standing alongside the sovereign, he would think this was all a bad dream.

Of course, the resemblance they shared had struck him the second they met. And, as time passed, he had finally got used to it.

But today, dress the same way as they were, this resemblance again disturbed him.

What was the reason for such a miracle? How could two so different beings share the same face and passions?

The threads of destiny had intertwined. So much so, that now, the roles were reversed.

"By Osiris, if I hadn't known you since your birth, I would easily think that he's your twin brother. "

Saying these words, Mahad advanced towards the two young men, adding his reflection to the others in the mirror.

"There is something to wonder about, indeed. " Shada stated, just as shocked as the magician.

"As if the Pharaoh had reincarnated once again in the world of mankind... "

Turning his head swiftly towards the bearer of the millennium scale, Heba meditated on his words, as if they weren't totally meaningless...

 _Two lives for the same fate._ whispered to him a small voice in the back of his mind, and he shook himself energetically to silence it.

"One last thing is missing. " Atem declared, grabbing the shoulders of his game partner so they could be face to face.

"What is it? " the boy asked, puzzled.

"This. " the young king unveiled, catching the millennium puzzle hanging around his neck to hand it to the teenager.

"What? I can't wear that! " exclaimed the latter, panicked.

"You don't have a choice. " Mahad intervened before his sovereign has to do it.

Examining the object carefully, Heba gently took it into his hands to hang it on his own neck, a bit anxious.

"L-Like this? " he stammered, worried.

"Yes. Don't worry so much, everything will be fine. " Atem related, smiling softly to reassure the boy. "I trust you, Heba. I know you'll take care of it... "

"Remember, no one had carried this item before Pharaoh Atem and his father. You must cherish it at the price of your life. "

"Mahad! " cried the young king, frowning, turning abruptly to his priest and faithful friend.

"Don't tell me you would not do the same thing? " Karim added, a teasing smile stretching the corners of his mouth.

Scowling slightly, as if he had been reminded of an old unpleasant memory, the sovereign shrugged casually, nonchalantly announcing:

"It's my responsibility, not his. "

"Well, it looks like it's going to be his very soon... " answered the holder of the millennium key, approaching in his turn. "Isn't it, Pharaoh Atem? " he said to the teenager who suddenly looked up at his alter ego, disconcerted.

"You've become King of Egypt, Heba. " concluded the sovereign, anchoring his purple pupils in those of his double, determined.

_**##########** _

Amber dust sneaking in the air through the blowing wind, the warm sand seemed to quiver at the rate of tension that was climbing. A crowd to his right and left had invaded the courtyard of the royal residence, the people of Khemet having gathered in large committee for the Great Games.

The royal throne rose in all its splendour above the steps where all the palace courtiers had gathered, a veil of satin elegantly surrounding it; Just thin enough to watch the Games, and just thick enough so that no one can doubt of him by examining him a little too closely.

 _If nobody tries to greet Atem_. the boy thought, closing his eyes, preventing a sigh from crossing his lips.

He really couldn't afford to make mistakes. He was the Pharaoh Atem, or at least he had to be convincing enough to make them all believe it was the case.

Turning to the vizier standing next to him, Heba nodded, marking the beginning of the event.

"Welcome! Welcome! Today, in honour of our guest, His Excellency Hussein Amaal Naji al-Ajdābī, are organized the Great Games of Khemet! "

A burst of applause fell around the arena, almost making the floor shake, and Heba difficulty caught hold of the armrests of his seat to avoid being knocked out by the deafening noise coming from all sides.

"Our fiercest warriors from all over the country has assembled here today to dazzle us with their exploits! Do them honour! "

Turning his eyes away of the fighters presenting themselves to the public to postpone them on the monarch installed on his left, the teenager began to study him with meticulousness while the latter revel in the praises that were made.

His long braided light-brown hair was shining brightly under the dazzling sun of this afternoon, taking on a strange blood-red colour. A leather headband encircled his forehead above his blue-green eyes, multiple white and black feathers casually clung to it threatening to fly away with every gust of sand that was rising.

A large beard, also braided, was spread all over the lower part of her face, pearls of ivory and jade decorating it here and there.

He was dressed in a thin tunic of dyed antelope skin, with tribal prints, falling to his calves; bracelets and other gemstone necklaces weighing down his outfit.

Finally, long jet-black tattoos based on rosaces, squares, circles and crescents of the moon covered his arms from all quarters. His nails, painted in an orangey colour, giving to the former warlord became king an almost supernatural appearance.

Suddenly, as he if he had felt his gaze, the king of Ma also turned to the boy, offering him a smirk distinctly full of contempt which the latter choose to ignore to focus anew on the opening speech pronounced by Seth.

"Without further ado, let the first fight begin! Proud challengers, may Anhour lend your strength and Anubis protects you! "

Quickly, the calm settled, and under the only sound of beating drums, two men in simple white loincloth faced, greeting each other respectfully.

Shimon glanced sideways at the 'Pharaoh' and Heba took a deep breath, his amethyst pupils staring at the arena before gently raising a hand in the air.

_Exactly as we have practised it a good dozens of times these last two days._

With a quick movement, his hand fell to the ground, curt, and the assault began, the blades of the swords hitting each other under the loud acclamations of the crowd.

Leaning discreetly at the windowsill on the first floor of the palace, Mahad frowned, firmly gripping his millennium ring.

"It's time. Are you ready, my king? " he said, anchoring his eyes to the ones of the sovereign posted not far away.

"Game on! " declared Atem, an ecstatic smile cracking his mouth in half.


	10. Time of War & Tactic Deplored

Resonating endlessly, the triumphant appeals of the public echoed to the most remote places of the royal residence. The only proof of the agitation on the outside, totally ignorant of the storm that was about to rise, ringing out like a distant echo, they were the sign that, for the moment, everything was unfolding as he had planned it.

Atem closed his eyes for a second, letting a shudder invade him from head to toe as he immersed himself in that booming sound.

"Are you all right, Majesty? "

"Yes... I hadn't participated in this kind of celebration for a long time. It's a shame I can't even attend it. "

"Well, if we hurry up, maybe there's a chance you can swap places with the current Pharaoh again...? "

"Why not ... It would be necessary that this henchman shows himself first. "

Narrowing his eyes, the sovereign leaned slightly forward, getting out of the corner where he, a dozen of soldiers of the royal guard and Mahad, stood hidden, ready to intervene.

"Are you sure of your information? "

"Yes. There is no doubt that he will show up. "

"Murdering me at everyone' sight is a little exaggerated, even from Hussein. "

"His plan is far from meaningless. He knew how to deal in advance each constraint he could find on his way. "

"I can make fun of him as many times as I please, I am forced to admit that he remains a fine strategist. He became a warlord for nothing, after all. However, I'm not one to underestimate my opponents, this time he fell on stronger than him! "

As he was about to add something more, a hand abruptly landed on his mouth while pulling him back, preventing him from continuing his speech further. Turning his head to the side, the young king looked at his magician with curiosity, the latter placing a finger on his lips to intimidate the silence before indicating the large doors of the room while the latter opened slowly.

Two men suddenly emerged from the shadows, walking discreetly towards the terrace and stopping just at the entrance to it. Setting himself down on one knee, the older of the two strangers placed himself at a distance from the edge and reached out to his assistant without even looking at him, focusing on his target.

Sitting a few meters beneath him on his silver and golden throne, it was innocently watching the Great Games, not suspecting for a second of the fate that would soon be its.

Grabbing the goat-skin bag hanging from his shoulder, the second man placed it on the floor, opening it quickly to choose, with an expert hand, a large rounded wooden bow with flattened ends that he offered to his accomplice.

As silent as the death that they brought with them, the two murderers moved in concordance with each other, as if they were one, knowing each other long enough to know what one needed without having to utter the least word.

The first man grabbed the bow, as well as an arrow in the quiver hanging from his back, and began to stretch the rope with two fingers of up to his right eye, pulling with force, directing his bow with precision.

A muffled sound reached his left ear, and with an almost animal instinct, he dropped his equipment to turn back on himself, firmly clutching a dagger in his hands. He sighed as he felt the blade of a sword against his throat, examining his assistant held by three guards, one of them having covered his mouth to prevent him from warning his partner and released his weapon for the second time, raising his hands in the air as a sign of giving up.

"Game over, Khnurn. " a voice rang out, its holder approaching him without being completely seen.

"My reputation precedes me to what I see! " exclaimed the assassin, shrugging his shoulders casually, seeming amused by the situation.

"Silence, mercenary! You will tell us who your paymasters are and confess your crimes in the name of Pharaoh. " indicated Mahad, leaning the blade a little more on the archer's throat.

"Or else? " Khnurn asked, raising an eyebrow. "If you're here, it means you already know who my paymasters are. And I 'm only a mercenary, I only submit to money. I have nothing to do with the authority of the Pharaoh. "

"So you just have nothing to care about dying too, I guess? " questioned the voice with the unknown face, monotonous.

"Dying? But the Kingdom of the Dead is far too welcoming for me! " declared the assassin, hilarious.

"Your heart is as dark as your soul, I don't know if there is only something to save in you. " the voice of the shadow whispered, looking afflicted.

"Save yourself any efforts. I heard about your millennium trials. One of my acquaintances has faced it recently, and strangely, he has become as gentle as a lamb. Disappeared his hatred for the puppet king sitting out there... I would not be so easily manipulable... "

_Puppet?!_

Atem stepped back with a frown, disconcerted. So now, he was a puppet king?! Just good at keeping the throne for the real successor?!

"Jabare... " Mahad emitted as his sovereign gritted his teeth behind him, undoubtedly angry.

"I see you remember him! " Khnurn announced, surprised. "You aren't so haughty as it seems. Although, I doubt that this is the case of the little king. "

"What?! " the unknown voice barked as he approached before suddenly being stopped by the priest, the latter leaving the soldiers of the guard to seize the mercenary to try to calm the Pharaoh.

"It's useless to have qualms about a dying person. "

A dying person? mentally repeated the wearer of the millennium ring, intrigued. We stopped Khnurn, we have...

His reflection came to an abrupt end as he grasped the last words of the assassin. Eyes widening, he observed the young king, understanding at the reaction similar to his own that the sovereign was now carrying, that they had arrived at the same conclusion.

"A third henchman! " the magician related, turning to the archer.

"Too late. " the mercenary unveiled, offering a gruesome smile to his audience as he freed himself from the grip of the soldiers to tumble back, falling into the void without thinking.

"KHNURN! " shouted the second man who accompanied him, helpless.

"Heba! " exclaimed at his turn the Pharaoh, rushing towards the exit.

"Majesty! " the priest called, running after him, worried. "Atem! "

_**##########** _

Covering his forehead with his hand, Heba hid from the dazzling sunlight of this early afternoon, slowly beginning but surely not being able to endure this outburst of aggression. He had never liked the violence, and having to endure these struggles, fortunately not to the death, in addition to the crowd much too agitated for this kind of thing, did not please him very much.

Something strangely made him frown, and a long shudder of anguish crossed his spine as a sinister laugh sounded inside him. He wanted to turn to look behind him but was suddenly scolded by the bearer of the millennial rod nearby.

"Focus a little! " Seth whispered disapprovingly while continuing to refereed the battles with Shada.

A loud thump sounded again behind him, and he froze suddenly, looking away absently.

The cry of a servant was heard and the audience became suddenly silent as Mahad showed up in the middle of the arena, the Pharaoh at his side.

"What... " Shimon gasped, shocked as the king of Ma rose from his seat, both surprised and angry, his protests not having the time to cross his lips as the Egyptian sovereign started to scream at the other end of the courtyard.

"SHADA! " the latter called urgently, pointing at the teenager sitting far away, too far away from him.

But even before the sacred guard was able to react, a hooded man approached the throne from behind, piercing it with his sword.

"HEBA! "

Suddenly, a golden light spread right in the spot where the boy was standing, more and more blindingly, before slowly lowering to reveal a large pool of blood dripping down the steps where most of the nobles of the palace had settled.

_No…_

Rushing toward it, the Pharaoh and his priests stopped abruptly as the millennium puzzle's glow diminished, Heba standing in front of them, unharmed, a stunned look frozen on his face while, behind the royal seat, was outlined the dead corpses of Khnurn and the third man, his own blade planted in his stomach.

"How is it possible…? " Isis whispered in surprise, her hand touching her necklace in a protective manner.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the sovereign caught the teenager by the arm, bringing him back with a quick gesture against him as Karim crouched close to the body to uncover it.

"His name is Akh... I heard about him... He's nicknamed the phantom killer because his targets never see him coming. "

Turning to the King of Ma, the still amorphous boy firmly clasped in his arms, the young king ordered without hesitation at the attention of his soldiers.

"Arrest the traitor and his followers! "

Hurrying to seize the monarch and his courtiers, the royal guard strongly held him as he tried to attack the Pharaoh, the rage making him tremble in all its members.

"Damn brat! How dare you?! Arresting me? Me, the sovereign of Ma?! I'll get you for that! "

"But I have proofs and witnesses to confirm my words. " claimed Atem, a smile without joy stretching the corners of his mouth. "In the name of the people of Egypt, I accuse you of conspiracy! "

"Conspiracy?! By what right?! I order to see what evidence you claim to hold! "

"Do not be afraid... Highness... You'll see them... " the sovereign pointed out before throwing a hand up in the air, in the direction of the royal residence. "Drive them to the gaols! "

"Cursed! Be cursed Atem! " Hussein shouted, struggling like a demon in the guards' hands as they advanced towards the basement jails.

_**##########** _

"How do you feel...? "

His umpteenth question remained unanswered, however, and the Pharaoh sighed with displeasure as he fell back on the chair around the ivory table in his apartments.

For more than an hour that he was there, his partner had not uttered the slightest word, as if paralyzed in his seat, facing the one of the sovereign.

Atem looked at the balcony, wondering if his priests had finally managed to calm the agitation that had followed the incident and the capture of the Meshwesh monarch.

The fact that since the beginning of the Great Games, the Pharaoh was only an understudy, the jump in the void that had made the mercenary before crashing on the ground, the assassination attempt, and especially the prosecution against Hussein... all this had only caused a huge chaos that he had however tried to avoid at all costs.

_If there had not been this Akh..._

Two blows against the doors resonated, and Seth entered the room, automatically heading for the speechless teenager.

"How is this going on, outside? "

"Shimon made an announcement. He did not give specific details, but I think that will be enough to calm people's minds. Isis and Karim ensure that everyone leaves the palace without a hitch. And my father watches the prisoners. "

"Good. "

"He still has not said anything? " the bearer of the rod asked, examining the boy, preoccupied.

" No. " declared the young king in exasperation, short of solutions.

Turning to the latter, Seth frowned annoyingly, stating point blank:

"What surprises me most is that the millennium puzzle has protected him! I'm not saying it's a bad thing, on the contrary. But this is the sacred item of the Pharaohs. It's supposed to react only to your contact, so why...? "

"I don't know, Seth... I really don't know... " Atem replied, shaking his head from side to side, lost. "Since the day I met him, Heba remains the greatest mystery of all. "

"There is a reason for everything. It isn't by chance that the Gods have made your roads crossed, but there are too many questions surrounding him so that they can all have an answer. "

Gently placing a hand on his cheek, Seth squatted in front of the teenager, frowning anxiously.

"Who is your divine protector...? " he articulated in a breath.

"Hassan... " suddenly announced this one, surprising the Pharaoh and his cousin.

"Heba! " said the sovereign with relief as he rose up to get close to his double.

Blinking several times, as if coming out of a deep sleep, Heba stood up straight in his chair, slightly confused.

"What did you just say…? " Seth questioned, standing up again, puzzled.

"... "

"You said Hassan had protected you! Where did you hear that name? "

"Don't be so abrupt! " the young king lectured, turning to his cousin.

"Hassan told me so. " the boy merely said, not formalizing himself with the tone of the priest to which he was now perfectly accustomed.

"Hassan is dead... " Atem claimed, looking as confused as his game partner. "He died protecting me from that man I told you about a moment ago. The one who sought revenge on my father. "

"You told him about this story?! " asked the sacred guardian, outraged.

"It doesn't matter that much, Seth. " the Pharaoh said, sweeping the air with his hand while remaining focused on his double.

"It does matter, on the contrary! " Seth retorted, annoyed.

Rolling his eyes, Atem sighed again, and standing up in his turn, folded his arms across his chest, announcing calmly.

"What do you want to do about it now? "

Observing the sovereign with a sidelong glance, Seth blew and the two cousins turned in the same motion toward the teenager.

"Are you sure of what you're saying? " asked the priest, wanting to be certain.

"Yes. " Heba divulged, catching the puzzle in his hands and pulling it off his neck. "Hassan protected me. "

"So, you are as worthy as me to wear it. " revealed the young king, smiling gently while placing his hands on those of his double to hold the sacred item too.

_**##########** _

The flames of the torches at the four corners of the walls were flickering slightly beneath the draughts that ran through the prison's corridor.

Leaning casually against the doorframe of the cell, Atem tilted his head to the side, his purple pupils fixed on the last assassin still alive who was kneeling in front of the members of the court of the King of Ma, his body running with spasms due of the coldness of the place.

"Show me the man who ordered my assassination. " the Pharaoh commanded the mercenary in a calm voice.

"... "

"Your accomplice said it himself, loyalty was not his forte as long as his purse was full, so spill the beans. " he continued, impassive.

"I won't say anything. You killed my brother! " the assistant finally exclaimed angrily, offering the sovereign a glare.

Folding his arms on his chest, the young king narrowed his eyes and stands straight to squat in front of the assassin, catching his chin between his fingers before retorting:

"Your brother killed himself and left you behind, he does not deserve your devotion. "

"... "

Still receiving only a silence in response to his questions, Atem stood up to head for the exit, indicating one last time:

"You sincerely want to pay for his crimes? You want to be the one who will face Osiris having his sins counted as yours? " he said, raising a hand in the air, indicating to the guards that he was done and that they could bring the man back to his cell. "Very good... you're free to make this choice. "

Seeming to think for a moment, the mercenary suddenly struggled in the arms of the soldiers, exclaiming hastily:

"Wait! Wait! "

Raising a new hand in the air, the young king stopped the race of the guards, facing the prisoner to ask again:

"So? "

"This is this man... " the assistant pointed out, designating with his handcuffed hands a nobleman with mid-length black hair and pale blue eyes.

"The Grand Intendant Salem..? " Karim declared with astonishment, hitherto remaining silent beside Mahad and Aknadin.

"That's a lie! " exclaimed the Meshwesh King with vehemence before suddenly finding himself unable to speak, became completely amorphous.

"Uncle! " Atem shouted out, glaring at the priest as the assassin slowly came out of the jail to go back to his own cell. "I did not allow this kind of behaviour! "

Gritting his teeth with annoyance, Aknadin closed his eyelids and stepped back, stopping the power that his millennium eye was exerting over the fallen king.

Mahad, in his turn, came out of the shadows, placing a hand on the priest's shoulder to appease him, and decreed against Hussein and his courtiers:

"There is no need to deny. I attended the exchange. "

Slowly recovering consciousness, the monarch frowned curiously, and the Pharaoh smiled knowingly, resuming his place against the doorframe of the prison to explain, amused.

"Having simple doubts would not have been enough to back you into a corner, so I had to use stratagems. It so happens that my royal guard's chief and court's high priest here present, is also a powerful magician having under his tutelage an equally powerful apprentice particularly gifted with illusion's spells. "

Not understanding the reasoning of the sovereign was going, Hussein frowned a little more, tensing slightly.

"The conversation that you have surprised between General Neheb and his commander about Per Bastet... " the young king clarified with a serious look, his features clenching his face from side to side. "Everything was just a staging. A vulgar magic smokescreen to push you into a corner. "

The second attempt of the king of Ma to lash out at the sovereign was only stopped by the irons that held him to the wall just behind him, the bracelets scraping his wrists while he grunted angrily, openly insulting the Pharaoh.

"Little insignificant cockroach! Damn fiend! "

"Once you've fallen into my trap, I've patiently waited for you to order one of your minions to find someone competent enough to do the dirty work for you. " Atem continued without worrying about the monarch's attitude, letting Mahad carried on with the explanations.

"I followed Salem to the market and witnessed the transaction between him and Khnurn. Then, I spied the two brothers in order to know the details of their action plan. "

"But you were more foresighted than we thought, and you hired a third henchman, who was supposed to do the work if the other two were unable to do so. " Karim related, joining his colleagues. "And Khnurn's suicide was just a message to Akh that it was up to him to act. "

"You are even more deceitful than you let it appear, Highness. " the young king announced with a small laugh.

"And you, inexperienced kid, you wore yourself out finding the perfect understudy! " retorted Hussein, spitting out those words as if it were some venom capable of reaching the sovereign.

"The inexperienced kid didn't even have to wear himself out, if you really want to know. " Atem disclosed, a smirk filled with contempt hanging on his lips. "He came right to me weeks ago. "

"What are you going to do with us now? " the monarch grumbled, pulling at his chains, as if in protest.

"Nothing. " the Pharaoh revealed, shrugging his shoulders as if he did not care.

"What?! "

"Well, it depends only on you, of course... " assured the sovereign, getting closer to the Meshwesh.

"What do you want? "

"Some answers. I have no longing to conquer your lands, no need to seize your city, and no desire to subjugate your subjects. But from this day on, the Meshwesh kingdom is under the domination of sacred Egypt. And you will certainly not have your say if you do not want to find yourself involved in a war that you would have no chance of winning. "

Staying silent for a few seconds, Hussein put his blue-green eyes on each of his courtiers. Then, nodding reluctantly, he accepted the agreement and settled on the wooden board hanging behind him, patiently waiting for the Pharaoh's questions.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but your first attempt on me, which also ended in failure, was not due to a personal motive this time? "

"No, I acted in accordance with the decrees of a recently consummated alliance. "

"Consummated? " Mahad repeated, perplexed, and Aknadin just swept a hand in the air, simply saying:

"Katimala has no decencies. "

Sighing as he looked away, Atem concentrated on his interrogation, continuing on his momentum.

"And what is she trying to do by being so virulent to me? "

"What Nubia wants for centuries. To seize the Egyptian territory and its resources. "

"Of course... " he whispered, closing his eyelids, letting his head rest against the cold stone.

"Do you know what this means? " questioned the wearer of the millennium eye as he turned to his nephew.

"That we have officially entered a war... "

 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for having followed the first part of this fiction. I sincerely hope that it is at your convenience. See you for the next, War (Monsters). The date of publication is however uncertain. I will start writing it certainly after I finish publishing my fanfic Zoku Touken Ranbu Hanamaru.
> 
> Thank you ! See you soon! XOXOXO


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